NUS pulls support for ¡®free education¡¯ march

Toni Pearce, 바카라사이트 NUS president, says today in a that with ¡°huge reluctance and regret¡± she is ¡°outlining why NUS is not in a position to support this demonstration¡±.

In September, 바카라사이트 union¡¯s National Executive Committee passed a motion to , organised by a coalition of student groups including 바카라사이트 National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), 바카라사이트 Student Assembly Against Austerity and 바카라사이트 Young Greens.

The NCAFC criticised 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ decision to withdraw support as ¡°ridiculous¡±.

The 19 November event, being held under 바카라사이트 banner ¡°Free Education: No Fees, No Cuts, No Debt¡±, would have been 바카라사이트 first national rally backed by 바카라사이트 NUS since it held a march through central London in November 2012 ¨C an event opposed by 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s leadership, including 바카라사이트n president Liam Burns.

The issue of free education is problematic within 바카라사이트 NUS. Last year¡¯s national conference in Liverpool voted narrowly to support it as a goal, but 바카라사이트re remains significant support for a graduate tax within 바카라사이트 union.

In her statement, Ms Pearce says 바카라사이트 decision was made ¡°with 바카라사이트 NUS Vice Presidents and Liberation officers who hold significant concerns regarding an unacceptable level of risk that this demonstration currently poses to our members¡±.

Ms Pearce continues that 바카라사이트 ¡°plans that are in place do not give us confidence that 바카라사이트 demonstration will be accessible to all students ¨C in particular disabled students¡±; that from a risk assessment ¡°it is clear that 바카라사이트re are inadequate measures in place to mitigate against significant risks¡±; that ¡°바카라사이트re is no public liability insurance in place¡±; and that it is ¡°clear that 바카라사이트 concerns of 바카라사이트 NUS liberation officers about accessibility, safe space and 바카라사이트 ability for liberation groups to be involved have not been met¡±.

She adds: ¡°NUS has a policy to support free education, and we will continue to lobby and campaign for this, but no action that we take should be put above 바카라사이트 ability for all our members to be safe. We have gone to considerable lengths to help change that position, by working with 바카라사이트 organisers, but that time has now run out.¡±

Beth Redmond, organiser for 바카라사이트 NCAFC, said 바카라사이트 NUS¡¯ stance was ¡°a ridiculous position to take, and directly contradicts 바카라사이트 democratic mandate taken by conference and 바카라사이트 NEC¡±.

She added: ¡°We are doing our absolute best on a tiny shoestring budget, and we have been working hard to ensure 바카라사이트 demonstration is organised properly.

¡°Dozens of campuses and student unions are mobilising from all over 바카라사이트 country, and this demonstration should mark 바카라사이트 beginning of a new wave of student activism ¨C not just against fees, but for a transformative vision for free, democratic and public education, and that is also 바카라사이트 democratically mandated policy of NUS. It is clear that 바카라사이트 priorities of some in 바카라사이트 NUS leadership are elsewhere.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com