[2] This is epitomised in the annual Primrose Dinner, hosted by the Newcastle Conservative Society in The Northern Counties Private Members Club.

[3] Under the chairmanship of Harvey Proctor, the association hosted Enoch Powell twice, with both occasions requiring a large police operation to protect the event from protesters over the Rivers of Blood speech.

[5][6] In 1996 the association's website was hacked to include explicit images and fictional accounts of meetings, as well as verbally attacking the Conservative Party.

[9][10] The University of York Vegetarian and Vegan Society (VegSoc) encouraged members to turn up to the event to protest against it, as well as bringing red paint.

[9] Members of the association's committee also rejected the accusation of sexism on the basis that the dress code was voluntary, and in previous events a majority of attendees were women.

Ultimately the social was planned to go ahead following discussions between YUSU officers and members of the association which reached a compromise, but pressure from the national press forced the event to be cancelled.

[16] Robert Ward, the chairman in 2018, signed a letter in The Daily Telegraph to the then prime minister, Theresa May, calling on her to stop pursuing the Chequers Plan.

[12] Plans to hold a dinner with Desmond Swayne in 2022 were halted after the YUSU BAME Network released a statement condemning the event.

[18] Concerns specifically focused on comments Desmond had made in support of black face, and had that could present a hostile environment to incoming BAME students.