1. General Election results in ‘hung parliament’
Following Thursday’s Polling Day, no one party has managed to emerge with an overall majority of MPs in parliament, resulting in what has come to be known as a ‘hung parliament’. The Conservative Party received both the greatest share of the national vote (36%) and the highest number of seats (305), but failed to gain the 326 seats necessary for a party to hold an outright majority; they would therefore be unable to pass legislation through parliament without support from other parties.
The Labour Party lost around 100 seats, leaving them with 258 MPs, while with just 57 MPs the Liberal Democrats have returned less MPs than they had in 2005, much to the surprise of many who had predicted considerable success for Nick Clegg’s party.
The Liberal Democrats are currently in ongoing talks with both the Conservatives and Labour, both of whom would feel able to rule if they manage to gain the formal or informal support of Lib Dems.
2. 1500 parliamentary candidates sign up to NUS pledge opposing hike in fees
Nearly 1500 parliamentary candidates have signed up to NUS Funding our Future pledge. In doing so, candidates have stated their opposition to any future rise in tuition fees, and their belief in the need for the introduction of a fairer alternative to the tuition fees funding model.
The number of pledge signees meant that there was at least one signee standing in over 97% of parliamentary constituencies for last Thursday’s general election. In some seats – including the City of Durham and Holborn and St Pancras- all major-party candidates were signed up to the pledge.
There are currently some fears that the ongoing Browne Review into the funding of the higher education system could recommend a significant rise in the tuition fee cap.
3. Hundreds of students turned away at the ballot box
Hundreds of students were turned away at the ballot box in seats across the country. In the most extreme case, in the Ranmoor Ward of Nick Clegg’s Sheffield Hallam constituency, students were put into a separate queue outside the Polling Station, while non-student voters were out in a faster queue.
Those responsible for the debacle have argued that they were unable to cope with the large student turn-out – in the Ranmoor ward, turn-out amongst students was as high as 75%.
Commenting on the events, NUS president Wes Streeting said: "We are alarmed by reports that students were placed in a separate, slower queue. Student unions have worked tirelessly to reverse the trend of low voter turnout among students and other young people. What message does this send to first-time voters whose votes will not be counted?
"Students have shown unprecedented engagement with the political process during this election campaign and this morning many will feel they have been treated like second-class citizens. We will be working hard to ensure that when they get the opportunity to vote again students can be sure that their voices will be heard.”