NUS Blairites Defeated posted by Richard Seymour

Victory to the student activists! If you've been following the debacle in the NUS, you'll know that the Blairite wing of the student union leadership has attempted to abolish the national conference and replace it with an annual "celebration" of NUS success, while doing away with the national elected committee and replacing it with a board. It was an unashamed attack on the Left by the Labour Students group (the President, Gemma Tumelty, stood as an Independent, but is a member of the Labour Party and could presumably expect to work her way up the Labour career structure if she was so inclined - just saying is all). After a hectic day, in which the President claimed at one point to have the majority she needed, the proposals were thrown out. This is fantastic news, so well done to all those who put so much energy into mobilising to defeat this policy.

Update: Following this victory, Respect has reportedly won two seats so far on the block of twelve, Hind Hassan coming first and Rob Owen coming third.

Labels: blairites, democracy, nus, students