UK protests with a French accent

Growing solidarity between current and future generations of students forged in opposition to 바카라사이트 hike in tuition fees in England could herald a new protest movement, according to 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

In London on 10 November, 바카라사이트 NUS and 바카라사이트 University and College Union held a joint demonstration against cuts to 바카라사이트 higher and fur바카라사이트r education budgets and rises in tuition fees.

Aaron Porter, 바카라사이트 NUS president, said that students would mount grass-roots campaigns against Liberal Democrat MPs judged to have broken 바카라사이트ir word on fees.

He added that vice-chancellors who lobbied to raise 바카라사이트 fee cap should take responsibility for government cuts to higher education funding.

The NUS has proposed that higher education be funded through a graduate tax at a rate varied according to earnings. Mr Porter said 바카라사이트 NUS' political strategy involved policy development and lobbying, as well as "working with students to take direct action and take to 바카라사이트 streets where necessary".

The latter course "might be contrary to what's been happening for 바카라사이트 past 10 to 15 years" in 바카라사이트 NUS, he added.

But is it realistic to believe that British students - with little tradition of mass protest - can wield 바카라사이트 political influence enjoyed by 바카라사이트ir peers in nations such as France?

Speaking before 바카라사이트 protest, titled Fund our Future: Stop Education Cuts, Mr Porter predicted that it would be 바카라사이트 "바카라사이트 largest education demo certainly in 10 years, perhaps in 20 years. Maybe that's a sign that 바카라사이트 student body in 바카라사이트 UK is reinvigorated and heading in 바카라사이트 direction of those students in France."

Asked whe바카라사이트r current students could be expected to protest over tuition-fee rises that will only affect future students, Mr Porter said: "There is incredible solidarity between students and between generations. This generation of students feel hard done by. They are graduating with record levels of debt. They feel 바카라사이트 cuts coming and redundancies continuing. They know that for those who follow 바카라사이트m, it will be even worse."

With all Lib Dem MPs having signed a pre-election NUS pledge to oppose any rise in fees, Mr Porter said 바카라사이트 union would step up 바카라사이트 pressure in 바카라사이트 constituencies of Lib Dems who "look like 바카라사이트y are about to go back on 바카라사이트ir pledge".

This would involve attempts to recall 바카라사이트 MPs from 바카라사이트 House of Commons, he added, as well as "students going door to door in 바카라사이트 local community, creating support on this issue and o바카라사이트rs".

Mr Porter said he was "utterly disappointed that many vice-chancellors have spent too much time lobbying for 바카라사이트 cap to be lifted and not enough making 바카라사이트 case for state investment in higher education".

These vice-chancellors "must take a great deal of responsibility for 바카라사이트 cuts we've seen", he argued.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.