Motions for the NEC

Two motions for the next NEC meeting on the question of Gordon Brown and the devastation Blair has left behind. One to support the Stop the War demonstration on June 24th in Manchester alongside StWc 100 days to get the troops out petition and one for a real 5 demands on Brown.

Here is the second motion:

NEC Believes:

1. That the immediate period is dominated by the change of Prime Minister and speculation on how different Brown will be to Blair. The media is full of opinions and speculation of what Brown will do in government.
2. That the failure of the Labour Party to field a second candidate will be used to try and lessen debate about what a new government will actually do while in power.
3. That both Stop the War and the Public and Civil Service Union (PCS) have launched major campaigns to ensure the debate around war and the future of the public sector are central to the government changing policy not just its leader.
4. Unions like the CWU, NUT, UCU and Unison are looking likely to campaign against the government’s plans for further cuts and privatisations joining a growing public opposition.
5. That the NUS also published 5 “demands” on a new Prime Minister on Monday 14^th:

· Health - NUS calls for prescriptions, dental care and eye test exemptions to be extended to cover all students.

· Travel - NUS calls for a commitment to ensure concessionary bus travel for all students.

· Debt - NUS calls for the current interest rate on student loans to remain linked to inflation.

· Skills - NUS calls for the extension of free entitlement to level 3 qualifications to all adults.

· Work - NUS calls for an equal minimum wage to protect our most vulnerable workers and give them a fair and equal position in the workplace

NEC Further Believes:

1. That NUS should support the initiatives from Stop the War and PCS while agitating for activists to raise 5 student demands on the new prime minister to unite all those opposed to Blair’s neo-liberal vision of society and campaign to make sure it prioritises supporting students, workers and the oppressed over pandering to business interests and privatisation.
2. That Blair left early because of the pressure of mass opposition to his policies. NUS and the wider movement must capitalise on this opportunity by uniting students in and out of the Labour party around a different vision of society.
3. NUS’ current demands amount to a call for little more then a milder version of New Labours attacks and will cut us off from students expecting a more bold campaign and a Trade Union movement starting to challenge the government.

NUS NEC Resolves:

1. To adopt the following 5 demands:
• Education for all - Reverse the attacks on Higher Education, the privatisation of FE and city academies. An education for social benefit not the market.
• For a Living Wage – For a living minimum wage for all and extended Trade Union rights for casual workers to protect students and insecure work forces. End the public service pay freeze.
• Racism – Stop the attacks on Asian and Muslim students. For a progressive policy to counteract the discrimination of black students in education.
• Welfare – stop the privatisation of the welfare state. Bring back all benefits, accessible public health and local support for students and the wider community.
• Environment – Major investment in renewable energy research in our Universities. Tax companies which pollute our cities and environment.
2. To produce an open letter for Student Unions and activists to sign on our website and circulate a hard copy to all student Unions, education unions and campaign groups.
3. To produce leaflets to put out at all Brown’s speaking dates and at his coronation on the 24^th of June in Manchester both on the protests and inside.

The key still remains orientating on the wider Stop the War campaign to nail Brown down to the demand to get the troops out now and the PCS' Union campaign to defend the public sector.