Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/461/1693
From The Socialist newspaper, 2 November 2006
Where now after the protests?
MEMBERS OF Socialist Students marched as a red, socialist contingent on the demonstration against fees.
Ben Robinson
Students from across the country took up our chants. We called for an end to fees, and for a mass movement to force the government to restore free university education. Now students who were there need to go back to their campuses and start building a movement in their local areas.
The demonstration's mood was to campaign and organise to defeat fees. Even NUS president Gemma Tumelty started her speech with a popular chant from the demonstration - when they say cutback, we say fight back!
However, the NUS national leadership did little to build for this demonstration, calling it on a Sunday when it would have little impact, and only campaigning for no rise in the amount that students pay, not for free education for all.
Nonetheless, the vast majority of the demonstration was clear - they were marching for an end to fees! If students are to build a mass campaign to defeat fees, huge pressure will need to be put on the pro-New Labour NUS leadership both nationally and locally.
This demonstration showed how angry students are about paying £3,000 a year fees. Now further campaigning is absolutely vital to build a movement that can defeat fees. At a Socialist Students meeting after the demonstration, the idea was raised of protests outside vice-chancellors' offices, and banks on campus.
There was widespread agreement on the need to build a national campaign against fees, starting with local protests on campus, building towards a national, mid-week demonstration that is clearly for free education for all.
Fees bring misery and debt to students' lives. However, they can be defeated by a mass movement of students and workers. This needs to be built now through a series of protests, demonstrations and democratic discussion.
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In The Socialist 2 November 2006:
West Midlands says 'Save our hospitals'
Global Warming
Capitalism is killing the planet: Fight for socialism!
Can global warming be stopped?
Socialist Students
Thousands join fees demonstration
International socialist news and analysis
Mexico: Police and army attack Oaxaca rebellion
Lula's win is no victory for Brazil's poor
Cyprus: Fight for Kurdish asylum rights
Big Bucks for Starbucks - nothing for small farmers
Marxist analysis: history
Hungary 1956: When workers rose in their millions
The Socialist Interview
Crime and punishment - the prison officers' view
Workplace analysis
Building a national shop stewards' network
Southampton journalists take on Newsquest
Union votes for anti-cuts campaign
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