The IPCC has confirmed that an investigation is underway into the “criminal and gross misconduct” of police officers who allegedly conspired to falsely arrest a student protester during the tuition fee protests last year.
Aaron Porter has announced his intention to stand down as NUS President when his term ends in April. He claims he is proud of the achievements of the union during the tuition fees furore, but many students have been disappointed with his timid leadership. What next for the student movement?
As universities across the country debate appropriate levels of tuition fees, Aaron Porter, President of the National Union of Students, has angered protesters with his ‘soft stance’ by urging student leaders to engage in meaningful and specific discussion rather than continuing with general national protest.
As news emerged that top UK universities intend to charge the full £9000 per year tuition fees, Nick Clegg has taken the astounding step of implying that the universities themselves are somehow to blame for the steepness of the price, claiming that it “isn’t up to them” to decide what to charge. We look at the argument as it developed.
The marches go on, the slogans are chanted, the demonstrations continue; but is anybody listening? Is there any point in protest against a government who have made it very clear that the voices of their people are falling on very deaf ears indeed? What next for the student protest movement?
As a new wave of anti-tuition fees protests begins, a large-scale campaign has been launched to ban the police tactic of ‘kettling’ protesters. We look at the arguments against the police method of forced containment, and ask whether protesters are right to claim it breaches their fundamental human rights.
Aaron Porter, president of the National Union of Students, has revealed disturbing findings this week from his discussions with university executives. He predicts that, contrary to government promises, a high percentage of universities will choose to charge the maximum tuition fees of £9000.
As the student movement picks up its placards for a renewed assault on the government’s tuition fees policy and education cuts, it risks being derailed by division in the ranks. Aaron Porter urges a considered, targeted campaign whilst the more radical activists want to fight on with protests and marches to have the policy revoked. Which is the right path for this new breed of student political activism?
