Last weekend, many
members of the SU went to Birmingham for NCAFC’s national conference. Over 100
members of the campaign from Aberdeen to Brighton came together to discuss the
future of the campaign over the next year and to elected the National Committee
for that term.
Politically, this
conference was immensely successful on several fronts:
(1) We, the campaign, have managed to galvanise and organise the campaign into what it was established to be: a network of anti-cuts groups organising against austerity with a clear, radical programme.
(2) We have maintained and cemented our no-bullshit policy to oppressive behaviours, particularly this weekend in regards to Socialist Party loyalists' abuse apologism. Today the campaign proved that it had no time for party members covering for one of their ex-members and denying the allegations of domestic abuse levelled against him by his ex-partner. This made me immensely proud of our campaign.
(3) We have elected a strong national committee as well as strong, organised liberation caucuses. This includes the new set of local groups on the national committee which will help aid the connection between the NC and local, grass-roots activism.
(4) We have set out a clear direction for the national campaign to take through the policy passed. We have committed to fighting: against the marketisation of HE and cuts to benefits for students, for student-worker solidarity in education and across the public sector, for international solidarity with Greek struggles, for the proliferation of left-wing discussion groups (such as RHUL Left Forum and Birmingham's Broad Left) and to continue campaigning on student housing.
(5) And finally, we have shown, both on conference floor and on the cold forecourt of the Aston Webb building, solidarity with University of Birmingham Occupation who are fighting their university management who took out an injunction against them which sparked a demonstration of over 200 students and alumni on Tuesday.
(1) We, the campaign, have managed to galvanise and organise the campaign into what it was established to be: a network of anti-cuts groups organising against austerity with a clear, radical programme.
(2) We have maintained and cemented our no-bullshit policy to oppressive behaviours, particularly this weekend in regards to Socialist Party loyalists' abuse apologism. Today the campaign proved that it had no time for party members covering for one of their ex-members and denying the allegations of domestic abuse levelled against him by his ex-partner. This made me immensely proud of our campaign.
(3) We have elected a strong national committee as well as strong, organised liberation caucuses. This includes the new set of local groups on the national committee which will help aid the connection between the NC and local, grass-roots activism.
(4) We have set out a clear direction for the national campaign to take through the policy passed. We have committed to fighting: against the marketisation of HE and cuts to benefits for students, for student-worker solidarity in education and across the public sector, for international solidarity with Greek struggles, for the proliferation of left-wing discussion groups (such as RHUL Left Forum and Birmingham's Broad Left) and to continue campaigning on student housing.
(5) And finally, we have shown, both on conference floor and on the cold forecourt of the Aston Webb building, solidarity with University of Birmingham Occupation who are fighting their university management who took out an injunction against them which sparked a demonstration of over 200 students and alumni on Tuesday.
For more information and to join NCAFC visit: www.anticuts.com
