Wes Streeting for National President

Here is where you’ll find the latest news from the campaign trail…

Wes Streeting has been elected as NUS National President for 2008/9, with one of the largest victories for a non-incumbant for some time.

Wes was elected in the fourth round with 496 votes out of 962. Ciarán Norris came second with 376 votes in the final round.

The press release from NUS is reproduced below.

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WES STREETING WINS CONVINCING VICTORY IN NUS ELECTION

Wednesday 2 April 2008
Wes Streeting was elected as the National Union of Students’ new National President at the organisation’s Annual Conference today, with delegates giving him a clear mandate to fight more effectively for students’ rights in the run up to the 2009 review of higher education funding.

Streeting, who is the current NUS Vice President for Education, beat nearest rival Ciaran Norris by 120 votes in the last round. He also saw proposals by the current NUS leadership on higher education funding passed by an overwhelming majority - meaning that the union can now throw off the shackles of its previous refusal to engage constrictively on tuition fees.

Following his election, Wes Streeting said:

“In an uncertain time for further and higher education, students can be certain of one thing: that I will be relentless in pressing home our fight to defend and extend their rights. From challenging the disastrous market in fees and student finance, to ensuring an education system that is accessible for all, the scale of my victory provides a strong mandate from our membership for an NUS focused on changing students’ lives for the better.

“NUS is changing almost as rapidly as the student population. I will lead a national union that fights for the rights of all its members as NUS’ campaigner-in-chief. We know that part-time, mature, postgraduate and international students can all too easily fall under the radar, which is why I will put them at the forefront of my agenda for a representative and relevant NUS.

“I want to pay tribute to the bold and courageous leadership of my predecessor Gemma Tumelty. Thanks to her, I inherit a stronger National Union and a momentum for further renewal of NUS that will continue to gather pace in the weeks and months ahead.”

As the election draws closer, incoming and re-elected student officers are lining up to support Wes Streeting for NUS National President. More than 25 officers for 2008-9 have already pledged their support for Wes’ campaign.

Wes says: “I’m really grateful for the support that I’ve had from student officers across the country. In many ways, this election matters more for those officers who will be wanting to work and win with NUS next year. It’s a crucial year for the student movement as we approach the 2009 review of fees. I’m the candidate with the experience and expertise to lead NUS into that review and win.”

In Wes’ Extended Manifesto, Helen Gibson, President-elect of Hull University Union says: “Wes is one hell of a campaigner and is 100% committed to everything he does. His record as VP Education and his dedication to the student movement is precisely why I’d like to be working with Wes as our National President next year and why you should vote for him.”

Rob Pinfold, General Secretary-elect of the University of Manchester Students’ Union says: “Students don’t just want an NUS with good governance, they want a strong, campaigning union that involves them and wins with them. There’s no doubt in my mind that Wes is the only candidate that can deliver that kind of union: effective, relevant and successful.”

Those supporting Wes include:

Danny Adilypour, Education Officer-elect, Leeds University Union
Alice Bouquet, re-elected Activities President, UWE Students’ Union
Rob Boardman, President-elect, Man Met Union
Guy Bromley, VP Academic Affairs-elect, Edinburgh University Students’ Association
Tom Christian, President-elect, Kent Union
Rob Damiao, Community Officer-elect, Leeds University Union
Helen Gibson, President-elect, Hull University Union
David Goss, President-elect, Loughborough Students’ Union
Dannie Grufferty, President-elect, Liverpool Guild of Students
Naomi Hunter, VP Societies & Activities-elect, Edinburgh University Students’ Association
Darren Jones, President-elect, University of Plymouth Students’ Union
Hollie Jones, VP Welfare-elect, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Jen Larbie, President-elect, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Hannah Lazell, VP Democracy-elect, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Tom Marley, VP Education & Access-elect, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Nicole McCaffery, Depute President-elect, University of Strathclyde Students’ Association
Jessica Parker, Activities Officer-elect, Leeds University Union
Dom Passfield, re-elected President, UWE Students’ Union
Jay Patel, re-elected President, Union of Brunel Students
Raj Patel, re-elected VP Services & Marketed, Union of Brunel Students
Michael Payne, President-elect, Lancaster University Students’ Union
Rob Pinfold, General Secretary-elect, University of Manchester Students’ Union
Lily Priggs, re-elected Sports President, UWE Students’ Union
Emily Sarah Rowe, VP Representation-elect, KCL Students’ Union
David Saxton, VP Education & Welfare-elect, Man Met Students’ Union
Dan Sheldon, Communications Officer-elect, LSE Students’ Union
Tobin Webb, re-elected President, University of Bristol Union
Kayleigh Wilson, President-elect, Newcastle College Students’ Union

To add your name, e-mail wes@wes4pres.org.uk.

Wes Streeting’s Extended Manifesto and Welsh Manifesto are now online and available for you to download.

The Extended Manifesto sets out Wes’ ideas in more detail, following the four key areas set out in his official manifesto published by NUS: ‘Fighting for a Fairer Funding System’, ‘Developing Strong, Campaign Unions’, ‘For a Representative and Relevant NUS’ and ‘Defending Students’ Rights as Citizens’.

Wes has also published his official manifesto in the medium of Welsh.

Wes says: “Today I’m setting out in greater detail my ideas for a different kind of NUS: one that’s focused on campaigning and winning. These ideas - many of which have come from the people I have spoken to in recent months - are a realistic plan of action: a to do list, not just a wish list. I am standing with an unrivalled amount of experience and a strong track record of delivery. It’s easy to make promises, but it’s results that matter and my record as a campaigner for students’ rights is one I am proud of.”

“If you’re heading to Annual Conference, why not e-mail the link to the rest of your delegation or print off a couple of copies to read on the journey?”

DOWNLOAD EXTENDED MANIFESTO

DOWNLOAD WELSH MANIFESTO

The Order Paper (agenda) and Final Motions Document for NUS Annual Conference are now online. These outline timings for the main conference sessions as well as the motions and amendments we will be discussing.

CD15 - Order Paper

CD16 - Final Motions Document

With less than two weeks to go until the crucial vote on the future of NUS’ governance, National President Gemma Tumelty has issued a new video calling on delegates to choose change by voting yes to the ratification of the new constitution and yes to the new schedules.

At an Extraordinary Conference in December, an unprecedented 900 delegates attended and voted, by more than the 2/3 majority required, to back the review.

Wes says: “I am the only candidate for National President who has both fed into the new proposals and given them unqualified backing. It is telling that of a National Executive of 27 politically diverse people, 19 voted to support the changes.

These changes have the support of the majority of our membership, the NUS Disabled Students, LGBT and Women’s Campaign (whose conference recently voted to defeat the policy passed by the NUS Women’s Committee), as well as student officers from  both the FE and HE sectors. They are crucial to the long term success and short term survival of our National Union and that’s why I will be supporting them once again at Annual Conference.”

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CHANGES

DOWNLOAD GEMMA TUMELTY’S VIDEO MESSAGE 

Today the WES4PRES campaign publishes the names of more than 200 student officers who are supporting Wes’ campaign for NUS National President.

They include officers from FE and HE, every region and nation of the UK and students from a range of backgrounds and institutions.

You can view the full list online.

Wes says: “I’m so grateful to all those who’ve supported the campaign so far. If you’d like to get more actively involved in my campaign just drop me an e-mail on wes@wes4pres.org.uk.”

“It’s not too late to feed into my manifesto. Feel free to get in touch with your ideas and suggestions and I’ll take them on board.”

Full details of all the motions and amendments to NUS Annual Conference are now online. These will be sent to the drafting commissions (commonly known as compositing) where they will be organised and, in same cases, merged together, to form the final motions document.

Wes will be attending the Education Commission alongside VP Further Education Beth Walker. If your union has submitted text you will need to attend the drafting commission or arrange for someone to attend on your behalf as a proxy. Please contact Wes on wes.streeting@nus.org.uk if you are unsure about how the process works or if you would like help on the day compositing your motions. Wes will be working on higher education issues and Beth will be working on further education issues submitted.

There will be members of the NUS Steering Committee, as well as members of the NUS NEC, available on the day to help you if you’ve never been through this process before.   

At the beginning of March, NUS, NUS Services Ltd. (NUSSL) and the Association of Managers in Students’ Unions (AMSU) held a joint event designed to look at the future of students’ unions - particularly in light of a rapidly changing student population.

As part of the event, Wes chaired a panel comprising of Peter Williams, Chief Executive of the Quality Assurance Agency, Paul Ramsden, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Academy and the Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University.

You can listen online to the panel debate if you missed it the first time around!

A key part of Wes’ manifesto is ensuring that the student movement is representative and relevant to all its members.

Registration for delegations to Annual Conference close THIS FRIDAY (7th March) at 5pm for all those students’ unions/associations who wish to register for free accommodation and access requirements. After this time, you will still be able to register your delegations, but your union will have to make your own arrangements for accommodation. Register online now!  

If your union has not yet held elections for NUS delegate, you should register your delegates as ‘A. N. Other’ and contact the NUS events department on events@nus.org.uk with personal information as soon as the elections have taken place.

Full information about NUS Annual Conference, including conference documents, can be found on Officeronline. You also find this Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) document useful.

We hope to see you in Blackpool!   

More than half of the current NUS National Executive Committee are backing Wes for Pres it was announced this weekend.

Speaking at the Presidential Election debate organised by NUS Wales for their Annual Conference in Llandrindod Wells, Wes said that the he has built this support based on this record as NUS VP Education and his vision for the future of NUS.

Wes says:

“I am proud to have built up so much support already for my manifesto to change NUS into the effective, campaigning organisations that we all want and students desperately need. Although we come from different backgrounds and political viewpoints - and don’t always see eye to eye - I am proud to have the support of so many colleagues on the NEC and from student officers from across the entire UK.”

NEC members supporting Wes are:

Gemma Tumelty, National President; Stephen Brown, National Secretary; Dave Lewis, National Treasurer; Beth Walker, VP Further Education; Ama Uzowuru, VP Welfare; Katie Morgan, NUS-USI Convenor; Claire Anderson, LGBT (Women’s Place) Officer; Scott Cuthbertson, LGBT (Open Place) Officer; and Richard ‘Bubble’ Budden, Katie Curtis, Adam McNicholas, Be Pringle and Daniel Rosenstone from the Block of 12 executive members.

Wes has also received strong support from the nations, having received nominations from the NUS Scotland Depute President and Women’s Officer, Jill Little and Sarah Watson respectively, as well as the NUS Wales/UCM Cymru Deputy President Carl J. Harris and also Women’s Officer Jo Roberts.

A full list of supporters will be published before Annual Conference.