Candidate for President

 

For far too long our students’ union has not involved the very students it is meant to represent. It has been run by various cliques, who mired in bureaucracy do nothing but wait for their pay cheques each month. There are over 15,000 students at Staffs, and the vast majority do not have a say in the running of the union. WE must fight together for a strong, democratic and campaigning union.

 

I am an experienced campaigner and activist and have been involved in grassroots campaigns both on and off campus, opposing war and occupation with the Stop the War Coalition, fighting for a free education and campaigning against racism. Our union should be the place that organises students to take part in these campaigns.

 

Most union decisions made by the union happen at Student Council, to which most students do not know how to submit policy. I want to open up our council, by publicising it around campus and bringing in activists to share their experience and expertise with us at Staffs. Our council should be the place students come together to fight on the issues that affect us most, like the biggest challenge facing humanity – climate change, the rise of fascists like the BNP and the attacks on our education.

 

 

The time has come for change at Staffs; our Students’ Union should be a place where all students can come and voice their opinions and where they can campaign about the issues they care about most. My door will always be open, and I want to reach out to students who may not have been involved before. Students are part of the wider world and we should fight for a world that is free from war and oppression.