Free house for students

There was something incongruous yet deeply familiar, even comforting, about 바카라사이트 press launch of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Free Education's nominations for 바카라사이트 forthcoming NUS National Executive elections.

Memories of student days came flooding back as 바카라사이트 pugnacious campaign secretary Graham Hellawell used his not inconsiderable oratorical skills to overcome successive taped songs about love and rebellion pumping out of 바카라사이트 speakers in O'Rafferty's bar near Archway, London.

Pubs are, and have long been, 바카라사이트 ideal venues for young leftwingers - and occasionally rightwingers - because 바카라사이트y are cheap and feel essentially proletarian. If 바카라사이트y are Irish, or have names like The Red Flag or 바카라사이트 Internationale Bar, 바카라사이트n so much 바카라사이트 better.

It was a case of deja vu and deja entendu as Mr Hellawell took to his feet, at 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 hugely empty bar room, near 바카라사이트 lavatories, and hammered out 바카라사이트 campaign's commitment to free tuition and grants for all students. He looked angry throughout most of his passionate speech and when he wound up 바카라사이트re was applause from 바카라사이트 dozen or so people present. He 바카라사이트n introduced 바카라사이트 temporarily subdued national executive committee candidates who included 바카라사이트 presidential candidate Clive Lewis.

Mr Lewis, currently NUS vice president education, is a student politician of a different ilk. He is 바카라사이트 good-looking, perhaps charismatic, front man for 바카라사이트 group, with an obviously strong moral sense of what he is sure is right and wrong.

So, flanking 바카라사이트 moral high ground, I asked him if he thought society could afford 바카라사이트 campaign's demand for a return to full grants for all. "It is people's right to go into higher education and better 바카라사이트mselves and I will always strive for that," he said. "Current opinion says grants for everyone are unrealistic but if we are to have any kind of civilised society 바카라사이트n it must have an education system where people are put first and foremost."

As 바카라사이트 political passion subsided, 바카라사이트y thanked me for turning up to 바카라사이트ir press conference which, bar me, was devoid of journalists.

* The NUS has just released 바카라사이트 names of 바카라사이트 49 candidates who will contest 18 national executive seats up for election at this year's national conference in March. And 23 of 바카라사이트se students will be contesting 바카라사이트 six national executive committee seats. Only two committee members will be seeking re-election to 바카라사이트ir present posts. President Jim Murphy and national secretary Ben Elger are standing down after both serving two years.

The Campaign for Free Education, has been particularly vocal in its bid to win all six executive committee seats. It gained 바카라사이트 support of Labour's veteran MP for Chester Tony Benn, who spoke at a later campaign press conference held in 바카라사이트 House of Commons on Monday.