The Cambridge Union Society has a reputation for hosting intellectual jousts between the country’s brightest politicians and lawyers.

But the union, which boasts of being the world’s oldest debating society, has been thrown into turmoil after a series of petty arguments and shirtpulling led to the resignation of leading members.

The bickering became so ferocious that Will Wearden, the president, James Robinson, the secretary, and Dominic Benson, the treasurer-elect, stepped down last night.

They claimed that their attempts to introduce democratic reforms had been bogged down in petty arguments. At a Union committee meeting last Tuesday, “disorder . . . broke out in the house”, they said in a press release. One student started jeering and an “altercation occurred”.

It is understood that the committee had been discussing a £1,500 expenses bill submitted by a member for a dinner held last year. Some members, including the three who have resigned, argued that bill should not be paid as the dinner had not been authorised.

The committee then rejected Mr Robinson’s appointment to the constitutional committee and Mr Wearden and Mr Benson interpreted this as a vote of no confidence. Mr Benson said: “I cannot in good conscience remain in my position in this society, when petty politics and people’s personal dislike of those trying to democratise and modernise has proved triumphant.”

A spokeswoman for Cambridge Union said last night that they were sorry to lose the trio, adding that new officials had been elected.

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