NUS has launched the Vote for Students campaign which will enable us to keep you fully up-to-date with information on the General Election and remind you to get out and vote on polling day.
NUS has warned that students and their families will not be prepared to pay more for less or vote for candidates who do not come clean on fees.
The campaign includes a new Vote for Students website which will offer students information about those standing for election in their local area, and highlight whether those standing for election have signed up to the NUS Funding our Future Pledge: “I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative”
NUS has identified a hot list of 20 key student areas where the powerful student vote could make a decisive difference to the result. This follows the 2005 General Election, where many seats with high concentrations of students were widely recognised to have been swayed by the student vote.
Wes Streeting, NUS National President says, “Our pledge will highlight to students in a straightforward fashion which candidates plan to defend student interests. In many seats, signing the pledge could be the easiest way that a candidate can get themselves on their way to Westminster. But if they do not vote for us, we will not vote for them.”
What can you expect from the website?
By signing up to the website we will inform you which of your candidates at home and university have signed up to NUS’ pledge saving you from doing the research yourselves. We will also be able to direct students to information on other student issues.
Centrally the site will provide those who’ve signed up with up to date information as party manifestos are developed and election commitments are made during the campaign. We will also encourage students to ask their Prospective MPs if they will sign the NUS’ pledge .
What is the purpose of the site?
By collating this information we can use the number of students who have signed up to influence PPCs and MPs to sign up to the pledge . We will also be able to give these numbers to local journalists to encourage local press articles on this issue.
This all contributes to NUS’ ability to influence future negotiations and to win for all of our current members and those in the future as well.
By providing these services on a national scale we save students’ unions resources as there is no need to replicate these tasks on a local level. This also enables students’ unions to focus on what they do best, mobilise students.
Join NUS, and pledge your Vote for Students.