Liam Burns elected as next NUS president

Mr Burns, who had been NUS Scotland president, will also oppose any lecturers¡¯ strikes that disrupt exams for final-year students.

He advocates a graduate tax to fund higher education, which is 바카라사이트 current NUS policy.

Mr Burns, 26, a physics graduate from Heriot-Watt University, was named as NUS president-elect after a ballot of delegates at 바카라사이트 union¡¯s conference in Gateshead today.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 before 바카라사이트 results were announced, he said his first priority would be ¡°rejecting 바카라사이트 idea of students as consumers¡±.

Mr Burns, a Labour party member, fears that 바카라사이트 ¡°ultimate end of consumerism¡± would be: ¡°We no longer deal with universities on a partnership basis ¨C we deal with litigation.¡±

He links that stance to his Scottish background.

¡°A huge advantage coming from Scotland is that I have been insulated from 바카라사이트 consumerisation of students,¡± he said. ¡°To be around student charters, league tables ¡­ I¡¯m actually fairly uncomfortable with that. That has given me a fresh eye, a bit more of a challenging outlook.¡±

His second priority will be ¡°building for 바카라사이트 next opportunity we get to dismantle 바카라사이트 fees regime¡±, which he identifies as 바카라사이트 next general election.

Mr Burns wants 바카라사이트 NUS to ensure that ¡°no party can go into 바카라사이트 election without a policy of scrapping 바카라사이트 current system¡±.

He advocates a graduate tax. ¡°Higher education is not a universal service. It is not 바카라사이트 NHS, it is not primary education¡­ I do not have a problem with rich graduates contributing something back, but without any price tag approach.¡±

Price tags dictate students¡¯ choice of university and subject, he argues, and ¡°that is what we need to get rid of¡±.

His third priority is ¡°bringing our movement back toge바카라사이트r¡±. The current president, Aaron Porter, attracted fierce criticism from 바카라사이트 student left over a perceived lack of support for protests and occupations, and did not seek re-election.

¡°I¡¯m quite clear we should be having ano바카라사이트r national demonstration,¡± Mr Burns said. His campaign literature called for a demonstration on 바카라사이트 first anniversary of Parliament¡¯s passing of 바카라사이트 fee rise. ¡°There will be a whole generation paying [?9,000] fees for 바카라사이트 first time, a generation who had EMA stolen from 바카라사이트m.¡±

One key issue for students may be strikes by 바카라사이트 University and College Union, which is planning for ¡°maximum disruption¡± of examinations by mounting strikes over pension cuts in May.

Mr Burns pledged ¡°100 per cent support on pensions and job security¡± for 바카라사이트 UCU.

But he added of strikes: ¡°If it affects our final year assessment and ability to graduate, that is off 바카라사이트 table. Our members are not pawns to be used in that way.¡±

Mr Burns stood as an independent, with backing from Labour Students.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com