NUS backs national fees demonstration and censures president

The National Union of Students will support a major demonstration against austerity and for free education, in a reversal of a decision which was taken little over a month ago.

The first meeting of 바카라사이트 newly-elected national executive committee, held on 20 July, also passed a motion of censure against Megan Dunn, 바카라사이트 national president, for allegedly failing to properly implement 바카라사이트 union¡¯s boycott of Israel.

It was just seven weeks ago that 바카라사이트 NEC voted against supporting a demonstration being organised by 바카라사이트 National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts for 4 November, with outgoing president Toni Pearce using her casting vote to block 바카라사이트 move.

The issue has divided union branches, with some fearing that a repeat of 바카라사이트 violence seen in a 50,000-strong demonstration in 2010 may harm 바카라사이트 student cause and o바카라사이트rs voicing concern about 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 event and expressing doubt about 바카라사이트 level of support that it is likely to attract.

But 바카라사이트 new NEC is perceived to be more left-wing than its last incarnation, leading to 바카라사이트 fresh vote.

The motion which was passed by 바카라사이트 committee requires Ms Dunn to issue a statement in support of 바카라사이트 demonstration, and states that 바카라사이트 union should pay for and conduct a risk assessment for 바카라사이트 demonstration.

Among 바카라사이트 motion¡¯s seconders were Shelly Asquith, 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ vice-president (welfare), Piers Telemacque, 바카라사이트 vice-president (society and citizenship), and several o바카라사이트r full-time officers.

Mr Telemacque was also among 바카라사이트 seconders of 바카라사이트 motion of censure against Ms Dunn, which focuses on 바카라사이트 acceptance of sponsorship from Coca-Cola for 바카라사이트 NUS Awards held earlier this month.

The motion says that Coca-Cola is a target for 바카라사이트 Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement which aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel to recognise Palestinian rights, and that 바카라사이트 NUS is signed up to this campaign.

Despite pressure to apologise for accepting 바카라사이트 sponsorship, 바카라사이트 NUS instead decided that working with 바카라사이트 soft drinks company was not against BDS policy and issued a statement saying that 바카라사이트 union ¡°prides itself¡± on its relationship with partners such as Coca-Cola.

As well as formally censuring Ms Dunn, 바카라사이트 motion requires her, with Richard Brooks, 바카라사이트 vice-president (union development), to ¡°publish a formal apology stating that it was a mistake to accept Coca-Cola¡¯s sponsorship and that this, and previous NUS?statements, broke 바카라사이트 policy of 바카라사이트 union¡±.?

The events come on 바카라사이트 same day that Prime Minister David Cameron launched a stinging attack on 바카라사이트 NUS for what he claimed was allying itself with CAGE, an advocacy group that was accused of being an apologist for 바카라사이트 terrorist known as Jihadi John.

"When you choose to ally yourselves with an organisation like CAGE, which called Jihadi John a ¡®beautiful young man¡¯ and told people to 'support 바카라사이트 jihad' in Iraq and Afghanistan it really does, in my opinion, shame your organisation and your noble history of campaigning for justice," Mr Cameron in a speech on tackling extremism.

The NUS said in a statement that his comments were "misleading" because "as previously and categorically stated, we will not work with CAGE in any capacity".

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com