People gather for drinks before a debate in the members Gladstone Room, Oxford Union Society, Oxford Union, England, UK

---

The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is Britain's second oldest University Union (only the Cambridge Union Society is older), and has gained a worldwide reputation for the cut and thrust of its debate, proving a valuable training ground for many future politicians from Britain and other countries. The Gladstone Room also contains William Ewart Gladstone's original cabinet table, semi-circular in design so that he could look all his ministers in the eye as he held forth.

---

Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Gladstone Room, Oxford Union Society, Oxford, Frewin Court, 's Street, Oxford, England, UK
Photo credit: © Jeff Gilbert / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ewart, gladstone, gladstone debating, oxford gladstone room union society, room oxford, society, society william, union