Yesterday something momentous happened in the NUS: the Governance reform so badly needed for so long was finally ratified. Not all delegates were enthusiastic about this though, and chose to express their dissatisfaction on this constitutional issue by staging a protest about, erm, Gaza.
This exclusive footage was shot by dismayed delegates to this year’s second NUS extraordinary conference as they watched in exasperation as thirty Trots occupied the stage to disrupt proceedings for over an hour. If you want to know why the hard left gets a bad name, check out them disrupting democratic proceedings, which Unions had paid huge amounts and put in much effort to get to, below, as the chair battles on heroically with the conference.
Protest was followed by counter-protest and a rallying call from President Wes Streeting for us to keep going. After an agreed five minute statement on Gaza the protesters vowed to stay there until the NUS took a position on the issue, and for all we know could still be there in Wolverhampton. By being on stage shouting they surrendered their opportunity to vote against the ting they had turned up for in the first place, and the vote went through by a huge margin. There is a time and a place for protest, and disrupting proceedings on a vote that was completely irrelevant to this issue and demanding the NUS take an official stance on a hugely divisive issue when quite frankly they had their own fish to fry was not it. Full credit to the NEC and chair for handling it all so well, and let us all rejoice in the fact that the NUS has a brighter and hugely promising future ahead of it thanks to their hard work.
How do you know they were ‘Trots’?
Were they wearing T-shirts sayinng ‘I am an admirer of the works and actions of Leon Trotsky’ or some such?
Wht exactly is a ‘Trot’ in your view?
What should have been a celebration was overcast by the irresponsible, childish behaviour of the few.
I completely believe that individuals should be able to unite and organise together over an issue- but conference floor-a “safe space” is not the time or place.
There is no excuse for the appalling behaviour displayed by these delegates and even worse (as this blog forgets to mention) members of the NEC- people we elect and trust to represent us.
Throughout the day, we sat and listened to speeches from these same individuals- concerned about the accessibility of the new structures- speeches I believed were wrong, but all the same genuine.
The irony.
How dare they talk to anyone about access when their actions blocked the disabled student’s officer from leaving the stage, inditimated delegates and lengthened further the conference.
Yesterday was not the place to ask the National Union to take a stance on international conflicts. Members spent time, and money travelling to Wolverhampton to do one thing- to ratify the new constitution.
Call me cynical- but how very convenient that the protest was initiated as we were about to hear the summation on the proposals.
The situation in the Middle East effects many students in the National Union, students from both side of the conflict. To make a mockery of the situation by utilising it in an attempt to blockade reform is shameful.