of over 10,000 on November 26, students showed their anger at Labour's plans to abolish student grants and introduce tuition fees.
The demonstration called "unofficially" by the Campaign for Free Education (CFE) showed the potential for a mass campaign that could defeat the government's proposais.
Unfortunately, the "New Labour" leadership of NUS are doing all they can to sabotage any campaign in defence of grants. Whilst NUS did call regional demonstrations against tuition fees, it was clear that this was only because they felt they had to be seen to be doing something.
Limiting role
If the NUS hadn't organised these demonstrations, then students would have organised on their own anyway. At the same time, the NUS leadership did all that it could to limit student anger, rather than providing a lead.
On all the regional demos NUS did very little to mobilise students, but did try and control the slogans shouted, and did produce its own placards opposing tuition fees.
It was also clear on all these demos that the overwhelming majority of students are also opposed grants. Whilst the NUS leadership have themselves already benefited from the grant system, they are quite happy to sell that right away for all future students, leaving them with years of debt.
Whilst students must demand that the NUS leaders fight for the interest of all students, their is little possibility of a leadership so far out of touch with its membership ever reforming itself - rather it must be replaced.
November's CFE demo has shown that there is the potential to mobilise students even in the face of the opposition of NUS.
A new, militant student leadership can be built from the bottom up, by building campaigns within colleges, schools and universities and harnessing the anger that already eXists into a mass movement. To join the CFE write c/o Helen Grayson, The Union Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NEI 8QB or phone 0958 556