Eimhear Macfarlane: We’ve tried reform from the inside, now it’s time to leave NUS

“Go out and join in the work of your Union. Go to its meetings, and stay to the end. Learn the Union’s rules as well as the Far Left know them.”

Three years ago I took these wise words on board and decided to get involved in the National Union of Students (NUS). From the outset, it was very clear I didn’t quite belong. Handshakes were cold, people looked straight through me when I introduced myself and I kind of got the feeling that they wished I would just go away.

The reason for this? Well, my conservatism of course. But I persevered.

I’ve been labelled an evil Tory. I’ve had people scream in my face. I’ve attempted to hold down conversations with self-confessed Stalinists while they drank Buckfast. I’ve heard rebel songs being sung at NUS conferences, by people who spent the next day preaching the gospel of inclusivity.

I, like many other Conservative students who have thrown ourselves into being student representatives, feel that our opinions are roundly dismissed.  How are we meant to be effective representatives, when our place is not valued – the idea that students could be Conservatives was openly laughed at a recent NUS National Executive meeting.

Look at the campaigns and priorities of our national representatives. Soon, the Government will be announcing plans for a new set of postgraduate loans, but instead of lobbying to ensure those packages are the best they could possibly be, the NUS would rather play battleground to the factionalism of the left, and pass motions boycotting Coca Cola.

93 Years ago, in the wake of the First World War, the NUS was set up under its first President ex-serviceman Sir Ivison Macadam. It had a simple and sound goal – to make the lives of students better. But the NUS has now clearly lost its way.

I’m proud of our group within the NUS that has come together to demand a better NUS. Time and time again, we, the Democrats and Reformists have been the small group in the hall, raising the real concerns of students – something you learn about when mixing with fellow students rather than occupying the University Offices.

And to be clear, the principle of a NUS is a good one, and one we should be involved with but when the Prime Minister feels it is necessary to use part of a major flagship speech to explain why NUS associating with Cage is a bad idea – you know the only option is get your Student Union to leave, and take its money with it.

We, as Conservatives, have always had 3 options. 1 – Do nothing, let the Left run the show, and moan when bad things happen.  2 – Get involved, and change things. Some of us tried, this doesn’t work. 3 – Get organised on campus, and run disaffiliation campaigns.

We’ve tried reform from the inside, it doesn’t work. But doing nothing won’t change anything either. For too long, the majority of Conservatives have allowed themselves to be represented by those with no concern for ordinary students. At a time when the NUS is allying itself with terrorism apologists, and ramping up its Boycotts Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) protest against Israel, our apathy to national student politics is no longer an option.

There is now little option but for us to get involved with our own Student Unions, run disaffiliation campaigns and give every student the opportunity to distance themselves from an NUS that has turned its back on its own members.

Or we could do nothing, and watch it all happen again next year. You decide.

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