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PixelFOPMancunian in Fife•

Thought this would be worth posting because of the amount of attention that disaffiliation fiasco got here a while back.

A few choice quotes:

The controversial president of the National Union of Students has been comfortably defeated at election by a candidate who called for a new NUS.

In a three-way race, the union’s vice-president for further education, Shakira Martin, unexpectedly beat Malia Bouattia. Bouattia became the first black Muslim woman to hold the office last year, but her term has been dogged by allegations of antisemitism, which she strongly denies.

On Wednesday, 56% of the vote went to 28-year-old Martin. She gained 402 votes from 721 delegates – 130 more than Bouattia, arguably one of the most divisive figures in the NUS’s history. Harwood took 35 votes.

As well as a verdict on the candidates, the vote had been billed as a decision on the NUS’s future direction – whether the union should be an organisation with a wide political stance even extending to foreign policy, or one focused on the practical concerns of the average student.

She had been loudly cheered by supporters as she delivered her pitch for the job. “You have told me that the NUS needs to change and that when you turn to us for help and support, you don’t get it,” Martin said. “The NUS now is more interested in infighting and factions that fighting for you ... the change starts now and here. We need to get a new NUS.”

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pajamakitten•

As well as a verdict on the candidates, the vote had been billed as a decision on the NUS’s future direction – whether the union should be an organisation with a wide political stance even extending to foreign policy, or one focused on the practical concerns of the average student.

I think they should opt for the latter. Nothing wrong with dabbling politics but considering they are students themselves there time would be better spent on making sure that students are happy with how their universities are run, that they are getting a good education and that their voice is being heard to help effect change when it is needed.

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PixelFOPMancunian in Fife•

My understanding is that you should very much take Martins' victory as a victory for practical concerns over foreign policy. It's been somewhat of a theme running up and down the senior ballot of the NUS this conference. Delegates and elected executives are very much still left wing but they're rejecting a lot of the fringe elements that brought the NUS into disrepute. A lot of 'reformist' delegates have been elected by Unions nationwide since dissafili-gate so this is the chickens coming home to roost, in a sense.

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B1ack0mega•

Hope she delivers; currently it's a farce.

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Eight_AceWest Midlands•

A round of jazz hands for Shakira's victory.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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mao_was_rightWales•

“the standard-bearer of the Blairite Right”

Kekked

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