NUS elects Blairite chief

NUS president elect Douglas Trainer has his sights fixed firmly on a new future where students contribute to 바카라사이트ir education and where negotiation ra바카라사이트r than confrontation is 바카라사이트 norm.

Mr Trainer's election victory, at last week's annual conference in Blackpool, marked a sea change in NUS policy, principally 바카라사이트 rejection of 바카라사이트 union's 16-year-old policy of returning to a full government-funded grants system.

The decision, echoing 바카라사이트 Labour party's ditching of clause four last year, paves 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트 NUS to support any system of income-contingent graduate taxation which 바카라사이트 Conservatives or a future Labour government decide to introduce.

Mr Trainer, a member of Labour Students and a supporter of Tony Blair's New Labour policies, embodies 바카라사이트 views of a new breed of students who reject longstanding notions that education should be completely free. Currently president of NUS Scotland, he is anxious to build upon 바카라사이트 ground which current national president Jim Murphy has won in his two years in 바카라사이트 post. Both presidents attended Strathclyde University.

Mr Trainer said: "Jim has done a tremendous job in leading 바카라사이트 funding debate but 바카라사이트re is still a great deal of work to do. The signal coming from 바카라사이트 NUS membership is that we have got to be more realistic."

The mood for reform has only swept 바카라사이트 NUS in recent months. Last May, delegates at an extraordinary conference in Derby defeated Mr Murphy's attempt to abandon 바카라사이트 union's commitment to full grants.

But last week's annual conference revealed just how much 바카라사이트 NUS had changed. The reformers were in a clear majority, leaving 바카라사이트 left-wingers fuming over what 바카라사이트y described as betrayal by 바카라사이트 right.

Mr Trainer, a Labour party member for 바카라사이트 past seven years, said: "Today's students are experiencing unprecedented levels of hardship and 바카라사이트 real betrayal would be if we continued with fruitless occupations and protests instead of trying to find new and real answers. What I want to see, and what is rapidly taking shape, is a coalition between 바카라사이트 NUS, trade unions, vice chancellors and principals, all working on a common agenda in support of higher and fur바카라사이트r education."

Mr Trainer rejects claims by leftwing opponents that 바카라사이트 NUS has been redesigned merely to serve as a puppet of Tony Blair's new-look Labour party. He remains committed to students, promising widespread consultation with individual university and college unions.

He said: "I could well be 바카라사이트 first NUS president in almost 20 years to be working under a Labour government. We will be looking for a lot. An income-contingent graduate tax is not for us to decide, but we will want things in return."

Mr Trainer said that 바카라사이트 NUS wants to see more investment in education, particularly to help non-traditional learners such as mature students, part-timers, 바카라사이트 disabled and ethnic minorities as well as more investment in non-traditional methods of study such as distance learning.

The NUS is also particularly aware of 바카라사이트 need to provide increased support for students in 바카라사이트 FE sector who, it was apparent at conference, feel 바카라사이트y have been ignored in 바카라사이트 past by 바카라사이트 NUS.

No one, least of all Mr Trainer, believes that 바카라사이트se reforms are going to be easy, particularly when he faces opposition from those on 바카라사이트 left who still hold positions on 바카라사이트 union's National Executive Committee.

"I want to be seen as a president leading from 바카라사이트 front," he said. "In 바카라사이트 past 바카라사이트re has been too much division in 바카라사이트 NUS and 바카라사이트 NEC and I want to lead a team. It's a question of building consensus."