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Link to this page: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/1030/28718

From The Socialist newspaper, 20 February 2019

Socialist Students conference shows potential for fighting leadership

Socialist Students conference sending solidarity to Birmingham home care workers, 9.2.19, photo by Corinthia Ward   (Click to enlarge)

Bea Gardner, Socialist Students national chair

Around 90 delegates and visitors from Socialist Students groups across Britain debated the student movement and its socialist potential on Saturday 9 February.

Socialist Students national organiser Theo Sharieff introduced the new national programme for Socialist Students, approved by the conference. He spoke about the potential role of the student movement in helping to kick out the decaying Tory government.

We welcomed Sam Morecroft from the Sheffield branch of the University and College Union (UCU). He highlighted the importance of Socialist Students' solidarity work during last year's pensions strike.

Mandy Buckley, a striking Birmingham home care worker, spoke about her union Unison's battle against Blairite Birmingham Labour council's cuts to jobs and pay. She thanked Socialist Students for our continued solidarity.

Commissions

In the afternoon, conference held separate commissions. Friedrich Engels' classic 'Socialism: Utopian and Scientific', just republished by Socialist Books. The lessons 100 years on from the German revolution.

And a commission on the very important upcoming strike for women's rights in the Spanish state. This was introduced by Marina Mata, visiting from the Sindicato de Estudiantes (Students' Union) and the Libres y Combativas (Free and Combative) socialist-feminist campaign.

A robust and political motions debate dealt with various pressing issues. We discussed our response to the capitalists' political crisis and growth of the far right. We resolved to support youth strikes for climate action, with our message that workers' struggle for socialist change is the only way of ending capitalist environmental destruction.

The UCU is again balloting for strike action on campus, this year over pay and conditions. Socialist Students continues to be an organisation with an enormous potential to bring about real change on campus and more widely.

In a year where the National Union of Students, controlled by the right, finds itself in an unprecedented financial crisis, the importance of building a fighting student leadership has never been more important.

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In The Socialist 20 February 2019:

News

Nationalise Airbus and other manufacturing plants to save jobs now!

NHS crisis deepens: Workers' and community action can save our health service

What we heard

What we saw

Youth climate strikes

"There's no planet B": Thousands of youth strike against climate change - we need socialist change!

Youth strike for the climate reports: "There's no planet B"

Opinion

TV: Les Misérables - Hugo's novel and this adaptation both offer a message of hope

The Socialist Inbox

What we think

Eight Blairites split - Now kick out the rest

Workplace news

PCS Left Unity must unite on pay and elections

Universal Credit staff ballot for action

Annoyed?! I'm annoyed to be on poverty wages

Nationalise to save jobs at Honda!

Birmingham bin strike against 'blacklisting'

Deliveroo riders strike against exploitative pay and conditions

Leicester college pay strike goes on

Cardiff Uni: urgent action needed to stop job cuts

Hackney: Unite fights racism and victimisation

Harrowing accounts of austerity at Unison women's conference

Unite GLL pay campaign

International socialist news and analysis

Spanish state: social polarisation and budget defeat force snap election

Socialist Party reports and campaigns

Unite union London council workers back Enfield Labour no-cuts call

Leeds TUC presents a no-cuts alternative budget

Socialist Students conference shows potential for fighting leadership

London housing campaigners disrupt auction

Birmingham Uni: Standing up to racism is not harassment!

Leicester Socialists stand against Blairite mayor

Lincoln students back UCU ballot

Leicestershire needs NHS beds

Claimants and union slam Universal Credit

Energy retail firm collapse hits Tyneside

World economy

New recession fear stalks the world economy

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Related links:

Socialist Students:

Students and workers united in struggle

Resist attacks against free speech on campus

Swansea: students protest against Hillary Clinton hypocrisy

Liverpool Socialist Party: Tories out! Corbyn in with socialist policies

Fighting for free education, jobs, homes, and a future worth living

Students:

Climate strikes: Students and trade unionists protest together

Strikes: more determined than ever

UCU strikes: Union means business in fight against employers

UCU votes for pay and pension strikes

Socialist:

Carlisle Socialist Party: Election analysis, what now? New tasks for the labour movement

Hillingdon Socialist Party: Fighting for socialist policies after the election

North London Socialist Party: Fighting for socialist policies after the election - what will be needed?

Union:

The Activist Issue 82 - for retail workers

Pay Deal: ACAS sides with management - a missed opportunity to fight

Student:

Socialist Party Youth and Student national meeting

UCU:

Uni strike takes fight to bosses

Birmingham:

Birmingham South East Socialist Party: General Election result - what does it mean?

University:

Sixth-form college strikes: 'Sticking two fingers up at the Tories'