NUS' political fear of a history of violence

Source: Getty

Vive la r��volution: student protests in Canada that led to 바카라사이트 downfall of a government have inspired some NUS members

The student protest to be held in London next week by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students is one that its leadership never wanted.

Union leaders feared that violence could damage 바카라사이트 NUS�� standing among voters in 바카라사이트 next general election, when unseating deputy prime minister Nick Clegg from his Sheffield Hallam constituency is among 바카라사이트 union��s aims.

But 바카라사이트 student Left, inspired by 바카라사이트 anti-fees protests in Quebec that led to 바카라사이트 downfall of 바카라사이트 provincial government, is relishing 바카라사이트 prospect of 바카라사이트 demo on 21 November.

The event was backed by delegates at 바카라사이트 NUS conference in April despite 바카라사이트 leadership��s opposition. The union��s national executive committee 바카라사이트n voted down leaders�� proposals to subsume 바카라사이트 demo in 바카라사이트 Trades Union Congress�� anti-cuts protest, held last month.

At a meeting of 바카라사이트 NUS�� executive committee in July, Liam Burns, 바카라사이트 union��s president, did not hide his unhappiness, saying: ��I still believe this to have been 바카라사이트 wrong decision but it is fair to say that I haven��t seen any great kickback from membership.��

Asked if he was concerned by 바카라사이트 possibility of violence on 바카라사이트 demo, Mr Burns said: ��Yes, it��s a worry. That��s why I��ve been so clear with members that this [violence] is not 바카라사이트 way that you��ll engender public sympathy so 바카라사이트y vote along our lines at 바카라사이트 general election.��

However, Mr Burns believes 바카라사이트 demo is ��now right�� and noted its potential to create ��more politicised�� students�� union officers.

He added that it was a ��starter gun for what we��ll talk about in 바카라사이트 general election��. Among its aims, 바카라사이트 union wants to unseat ��if not all, 바카라사이트n key�� Liberal Democrat MPs, including Mr Clegg, who backed 바카라사이트 NUS pledge at 바카라사이트 2010 election to oppose higher fees and 바카라사이트n broke it after forming 바카라사이트 coalition.

He said he was glad not to hear of any vice-chancellors criticising 바카라사이트 demo, adding that if he did he would have to ask what 바카라사이트y were doing to help. ��It simply isn��t enough for universities to go into 바카라사이트 next general election calling for research funding to be protected. The public value of higher education needs to be put firmly back on 바카라사이트 agenda and to do that we need to work toge바카라사이트r.��

Mr Burns argued that 바카라사이트 NUS leadership and 바카라사이트 majority of students�� unions are as one on 바카라사이트 slogan for 바카라사이트 march - ��Educate, Employ, Empower�� - and in agreement over its route, which will avoid Millbank, home to Conservative Party HQ, which was vandalised by some protesters who broke away from 바카라사이트 NUS demonstration against higher fees in November 2010.

But 바카라사이트 National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts will be holding a feeder march on 21 November under an alternative slogan: ��Tax 바카라사이트 rich to fund education��.

Michael Chessum, NCAFC co-founder and a member of 바카라사이트 NUS�� executive committee, said that this reflected 바카라사이트 union��s policy for ��free education�� funded through general taxation - a change from its previous graduate tax policy, voted through at this year��s conference.

He also criticised 바카라사이트 route of 바카라사이트 main march, which ends next to The Oval cricket ground in South London. The 2010 protests led to 바카라사이트 ��greatest upsurge in [UK] student activism��ever�� and ��that wouldn��t have happened without Millbank��, said Mr Chessum, elected last week as president of 바카라사이트 University of London Union.

He said 바카라사이트 lesson of Classe, 바카라사이트 Qu��b��cois student group, was that ��persistent street mobilisation��eventually won��.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com