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It elects a student as its president every term. Past holders of the post include John Maynard Keynes, Rab Butler, Archbishop Michael Ramsey, Douglas Hurd (former British Foreign Secretary), Ken Clarke (former British Chancellor of the Exchequer), Michael Howard (former Home Secretary and now leader of the Conservative Party), Chris Smith and Arianna Huffington.

It continues to attract eminent speakers from the UK and across the globe. Previous visitors have included President Reagan, Clint Eastwood, Desmond TutuDesmond Mpilo Tutu (born October 7, 1931) is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, South African cleric and activist who rose to worldwide fame in the 1980s through his opposition to apartheid. He was the first black Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, the Dalai LamaAlternative meaning: Dalai Lama (song The Dalai Lama belongs to the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The current and 14th Dalai Lama is Tenzin Gyatso. Every other Buddhist sect in Tibet recognises the Dalai Lama as the religious and political leader of all, Gillian AndersonGillian Leigh Anderson (born August 9, 1968) is an American actress, best known for her role as FBI Agent Dana Scully in the American TV series The X-Files''. She was born in Chicago, but lived in London until she was 11 years old. Her family then moved t and Bruce ForsythBruce Forsyth is a British entertainer and showman who achieved celebrity on the show Sunday Night at the London Palladium , and has since presented game shows such as The Price is Right , Play Your Cards Right , The Generation Game and You Bet . He is es as well as multitude of British politicians.

Its current premises were designed by Alfred WaterhouseAlfred Waterhouse ( July 19, 1830 August 22, 1905) was an English architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic revival. He was born at Liverpool, and studied architecture under Richard Lane in Manchester. His earliest commissions were for and formally opened on October 30th, 18661866 is a common year starting on Monday. Events January 6 Ottoman troops clash with men of a Maronite leader Karam in St. Doumit in Lebanon Turks are defeated January 12 Royal Aeronautical Society is formed ( London) January 28 800 Maronite troops clash, although they have undergone several developments since then. The future radical Liberal politician, Sir Charles DilkeSir Charles Wentworth Dilke 2nd Baronet ( September 4, 1843 January 26, 1911) was an English politician, son of Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, 1st Baronet. He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was President of the Cambridge Union Society., was the President largely responsible for construction.

The Cambridge Union is sometimes confused with the Cambridge University Students' Union, the university-wide representative body for undergraduate students set up more recently in 1971. Despite the Cambridge Union Society never having been a students' union in the modern sense, it did briefly affiliate to the UK's National Union of Students in 1924.

Recent Presidents continue to move into academia, the media and politics. Recent former Presidents include Clare Balding , one of the BBC's leading sports broadcasters, Chris Kelly, a Cambridge University Lecturer on Roman History and Rana Mitter, an Oxford University Lecturer in the History and Politics of Modern China. Others are following the 'traditional' route into politics. Gavin Barwell is Head of Operations at Conservative Central Office. Nicholas Boys Smith was a parliamentary candidate in the 2001 general election.