ISR/Socialist Students’ conference:
A socialist world is necessary
Socialist Students is a national student organisation with active
members in over 70 universities and colleges in England and Wales. We
have been building campaigns against fees, cuts and closures, against
war, terrorism, racism and repressive legislation, for decent pay for
student workers and for trade union rights at work.
Zena Awad, Socialist Students national co-ordinator
We have a proud record of linking up with the youth organisation
International Socialist Resistance (ISR) and with workers in struggle,
while putting pressure on local students’ unions and the national NUS to
put their resources into active campaigns in the interests of students
and workers.
Our generation is not going to accept the system of war, poverty and
environmental destruction – one that is run by the rich and for the
rich. This is why we need to get organised through democratic discussion
in order to develop successful strategies alongside workers and the
oppressed internationally.
All Socialist Students members are urged to come to our annual
conference to take part in the discussions on the different issues. You
decide what issues we take up and campaign on by sending resolutions to
be debated at the conference.
We will also vote on the democratic structures of Socialist Students
to coordinate the work nationally and between the regions. Now is the
time to consider nominations for the different positions to be elected
on the day.
Our annual conference will shape our campaigning work and material
for the following year and is a preparation for the battles ahead of us.
This is an essential event for democratic debates on socialist ideas and
to plan activities on and off campuses.
"Unlike the stage-managed conferences of the mainstream political
parties and the often dull students’ union meetings, ISR and Socialist
Students conference will be a democratic and exciting opportunity for
students and young people to discuss politics, socialism and how we can
change the world!"Thomas House, University College London
"The conference will be a great opportunity to hear from other
Socialist Students societies – to hear about how they take up the issues
we all face and to discuss and develop a national plan of action."Mark Cuthbert, Newcastle University
"I’m looking forward to going to the conference to meet other members
from around the country, exchange ideas and experience in terms of
campaigns and have democratic discussions."Emma Linacre, University of Manchester
"It is an important event, to learn from the year gone, in order to
go forward next year. Also, it is good for new members to have a say in
the plans for the year ahead."Leah Jones, Northumbria University
"It is a great opportunity to realise the potential to build the
movement and to be motivated by all the young people involved. It is
also a great chance to build contact with other Socialist Students, be
inspired and gain confidence. I could not encourage people more to take
part in this great event."Hannah Walter, Durham University
ISR/Socialist Students’ conference
Saturday 4 March 2006, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 near
Holborn Tube station
Student protest in Nottingham
Eighty people gathered on Nottingham University campus on a rainy
Saturday morning to protest outside the Labour Party’s Policy Forum.
Martyn Crooks, Nottingham
Young people and students, angry at the occupation of Iraq, tuition
fees and nuclear power, wanted to show Blair that he wasn’t welcome in
Nottingham.
The police surrounded us on all four sides once the protest had
reached the front entrance of the building where the meeting was being
held. They tried to move us on to a ‘designated protest area’ and
threatened to arrest people if we didn’t move within ten minutes. No-one
moved, so they allowed us to stay but they wouldn’t let anyone leave the
protest.
Socialist Party members were able to speak to everyone there,
especially the youth who had not come with any other group. The
otherwise high-spirited and good-humoured demo almost ended in
confrontation when the police refused to let people leave. Meanwhile
Blair was flown in by helicopter and entered the building by a side
entrance.
