THE PARADOX OF TORY EDUCATION POLICY – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #7

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, conservatives, cuts, education policy, employment, EU, EU students, exports, general election, HE policy, higher education, immigration quotas, international reputation, international students, manifesto, marketisation, migration, NHS, non-EU students, nurse bursaries, politics, racism, reputation, rights, skilled graduates, snap election, student numbers, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, tuition fees, universities, university funding, university league tables, university rankings, voters, voting, xenophobia.

by Alex Powell

In the midst of multiple crises faced by students, universities and schools, the outcome of the snap general election will be a major indicator of the future of the UK education sector. Each week until the vote we are featuring perspectives from our regular contributors and guests on what the election could mean for students.

There is a severe dissonance between the conception of higher education that the Conservatives purport to support and the policies presented in their 2017 manifesto. In order to show this I have to work from within the Tory understanding of the purpose of higher education, and the role international students play within achieving that. Despite my adoption of this form of argumentation, I wish to make it clear that I do not subscribe to the idea that higher education is purely about reputation, financial stability, or the production of an effective workforce. Further, I do not accept the idea that international students are valuable only in terms of what they can offer to either educational institutions or the UK more generally. The current treatment of international students, and the blatant disregard shown for their welfare, is one of the most indefensible aspects of modern higher education policy.

IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN? – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #6

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, armed forces, Article 50, austerity, buses, clive lewis, commentary, cuts, education, end poverty, EU, EU citizens, EU referendum, exit poll, Free Education, general election, Green Party, higher education, jeremy corbyn, journalism, Labour, left wing, Liberal Democrats, living wage, london, manifesto, MPs, Northampton, norwich south, NUS, Parliament, politics, polls, prime minister, privatisation, public services, rent, rights, shadow cabinet, snap election, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, Sure Start, tactical voting, tax, theresa may, Tim Farron, Tories, UEA, UEA Labour Students, universities, voters, voting, wages, Wales, work.

from a member of UEA Labour Students

Having resolved to sit down today and write this article, I’m struck by the appropriateness of my day. I caught the bus to UEA from outside one of the few remaining Sure Start centres, a public service provided by the last Labour government which has been decimated by the Conservatives (and Liberal Democrats) since 2010. My bus was 40 minutes late, the consequence of a privatised, under-funded service – and even the previously UEA-hosted launderette I went to had been privatised since I last used it. It served as a strong reminder of the power of Labour government to change lives for the better, which contrasts with the crumbling services and privatisation festival that has characterised the last 7 years of Conservative and ConDem government.

A RAY OF HOPE – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #5

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, #studentsnotsuspects, Brexit, Brighton, brighton pavilion, Bristol, Bristol West, caroline lucas, coalition, david cameron, debt cancellation, environment, environmental policy, environmental protections, Europe, fascism, Free Education, general election, Green Guarantee, Green Party, Hard Brexit, higher education, Higher Education and Research Act, hope, Isle of Wight, Labour, manifesto, molly scott cato, MPs, Plastic Returns Deposit, politics, prevent, recycling, Scandinavia, snap election, student debt, student loans, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, theresa may, Tories, tuition fees, UEA, UEA Young Greens, universities, Vix Lowthion, voters, voting, xenophobia, Young Greens.

by the UEA Young Greens

On June the 8th the country will head to the polls for Mrs May’s snap election. This election has been called because, in a remarkable display of hubris, May and her Tory cohort expect to win a huge majority so she can continue to pursue her campaign of cuts whilst also pushing for a Hard Brexit. If they’re right, the future looks rather grim.

VOTE PROGRESSIVE, VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #4

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, campaigning, clive lewis, Compass, course cuts, cuts, elitism, Free Education, general election, Green Party, Havant, higher education, international students, Johnathan Bartley, Labour, Liberal Democrats, london, marketisation, norwich, politics, polls, progressive alliance, Sian Berry, snap election, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, tactical voting, Tories, tuition fees, UKIP, universities, voters, voting.

by Robyn Banks

There is a lot of fear about the morning of June 9th. Will we wake up to a Tory super-majority that will see them stay in charge for the next 15 years? To a renewed age of cuts that hurt the poorest and most vulnerable in society, that disembowel the education system from primary to higher, and that destroy the environmental protections (or ‘Green Crap’) that will ensure that we have a safer and more secure future for our world? Or will the sun rise on something else? With the polls getting closer and closer, a miraculous Labour Party win isn’t off the table just yet.

CREATIVE & PROGRESSIVE VOICES – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #3

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, age, arts, Arts Council, arts funding, arts universities, austerity, Brexit, children, conservatives, creative subjects, creativity, economics, education policy, environment, EU referendum, exams, general election, generation gap, Green Party, higher education, international politics, labour party, Liberal Democrats, local authority cuts, music, policy, political parties, politics, scrutiny, snap election, sport, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, universities, voters, voting, youth campaigns.

by Laura Potts

The snap election. The vote looming over the future. We in the UK have the privilege of affecting the result. As students, young people and members of a fast changing world, voting in a western country like ours means more than just influencing your own future. Electing certain policies through parties can drastically alter how Britain relates to the rest of the world. How the next generation develop, what they value, and the state of the planet they will live on are all on the line. It is crucially important, therefore, for us each to familiarise ourselves with each party’s policies and plans. Not only is it vital to consider how these policies will affect broader issues such as the environment or foreign relations, it is also vital to be sure that the party you vote for stands to protect what you value in your country.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #2

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, disenfranchisement, dissent, erasmus, general election, higher education, local elections, mandate, New York, Parliament, parliamentary majority, politics, postal vote, proxy vote, representation, snap election, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, theresa may, universities, voter registration, voter turnout, voters, voting.

by Alex Powell

I can’t be the only one growing a little exhausted with all these elections, right? Nonetheless, tired as we are, it has never been more important that we all get out and vote. In the local elections we saw something of a decimation of left leaning parties, to the benefit of the Tories. What’s more, those elections featured some astoundingly low turnout figures, many below 30%. As a result of this, I feel it is incumbent on me to encourage anyone reading this to ensure that they get out and vote in the general election on June 8th.

STUDENTS NEED A REVOLUTION – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #1

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Student and tagged #GE2017, 1848 revolutions, 1968 protests, abstention, academic freedom, anti-apartheid, Apartheid, apathy, BDS, boycott, catch-22, collective action, desperation, direct action, divestment, erosion of the state, fossil free, Free Palestine, general election, government, healthcare, higher education, hope, insecure employment, israel, jeremy corbyn, Labour, marketisation, minimum wage, misrepresentation, national student survey, non-voters, politics, power structures, privatisation, property ladder, protest, public sector, rebellion, sit ins, snap election, student as consumer, student debt, student loans, student politics, student vote, students, Students and the Election, tef, tony blair, Tories, trade unions, tuition fees, universities, voters, voting.

by Bradley Allsop

Students have been at the forefront of progressive politics and change throughout the centuries. We were engaged in the 1848 revolutions that shook Europe, and front and centre of a wave of radical protest that shook the world in 1968. We played a part in challenging apartheid in South Africa and the continued Israeli abuse of the Palestinian people. Most recently we are leading the way on fossil fuel divestment.

Students and the Election

THE PARADOX OF TORY EDUCATION POLICY – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #7

IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN? – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #6

A RAY OF HOPE – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #5

VOTE PROGRESSIVE, VOTE FOR OUR FUTURE – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #4

CREATIVE & PROGRESSIVE VOICES – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #3

EVERY VOTE COUNTS – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #2

STUDENTS NEED A REVOLUTION – STUDENTS AND THE ELECTION #1

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