NUS: Shameful, dangerous and counter-productive
NUS national president Aaron Porter addresses marchers who joined the student protest yesterday and condemns the violence which saw demonstrators attempt to storm Conservative headquarters:
“Taken as a whole the range of cuts that are being imposed by this Government represent the biggest attack to further and higher education in decades, and we believe that each individual measure represents a unprecedented onslaught on knowledge and learning for people of all ages and from all background. We are delighted that you have agreed to stand firm with us and oppose these cuts.
“Of course, all of us at NUS are deeply disappointed at the actions of a small minority of those 50,000 people who attended- and I know from the hundreds of emails and tweets I’ve received that the vast majority of you share my view that their actions were shameful, dangerous and counterproductive.
“We did everything we could to organise a peaceful and responsible action, but sadly it was hijacked and our press coverage overshadowed. But we must move forward- head held high. I won’t have our campaign derailed by people like this.
“In the months to come there will be a white paper, measures to change the student support package and ultimately a full-scale higher education bill to fight. Most pressing- a vote on fees is due in weeks.”
