THE DEMONSTRATION called by NUS for Wednesday 9 November could mark an important step forward for student activists.
It should be built upon in every college — not just as an end in itself but as a means to building a mass democratic campaign against student poverty involving wide layers of students.
Last year the National Union of Students organised its first national demonstration against cuts in grants and student poverty for years. This was a result of growing pressure from within colleges.
The student left had managed to organise a demonstration of 10,000 students despite opposition from the National Union — members of the National Executive even phoned and faxed student unions to persuade them not to take part.
The union leadership has been following a "don't rock the boat" policy, in the naive assumption that demobilising student militancy and concentrating on taking Tory MPs out for dinner will convince the government not to cut grants or attack student unions. • The complete failure of this policy has become blatantly obvious with the 30 per cent cut in grants, further cuts in resourcing and increased pressure for larger intakes of students.
If NUS is to really fight for the interests of students a complete break is needed from the 10,000 students joined unofficial demonstration in February strategy of backroom deals with right wing MPs.
This can only come about through active campaigning within colleges.
Activist groups must be built, together with local mobilisations and occupations wherever possible, linking up with struggles in other colleges.
It is not just education that is under attack at present but many other welfare rights and provisions. The government is attempting to resolve the crisis by rolling back all the gains made through working class struggles this century. Such a broad based com-