As Communist Students predicted in our report of NUS conference, ‘NUS: Right prepares for fresh assault‘, rather than the right being “demoralised and reeling” as the SWP’s Rob Owen told us, they have been plotting further attacks on the already very limited democracy of NUS. This can now be clearly seen in the email sent out on April 24 by the new Blairite NUS President – elect, Wes Streeting. We post this email below for comrades’ information:

Dear all,

The Way Forward for NUS Reform

Further to recent letter from Gemma Tumelty and I earlier this month, I am writing to update you on developments following yesterday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee to set out our view on the way forward. This is based on the wide-ranging feedback we have received from many of you since Annual Conference.

Firstly, I would like to thank all those officers, delegates and students who took the time to write to us with feedback on everything from detailed suggestions and questions on the specifics of the proposed reform package, to the process we have followed throughout the year. This feedback has directly informed the NEC’s position on the way forward and enabled us to learn some valuable – if sometimes difficult – lessons to ensure that we get both the reform process and the reform package right going forward.

It is quite clear that there are things we could have done better – both in terms of ensuring that the proposed reforms were understood by students’ unions and their conference delegates as well as specific aspects of the proposals.

However, the message from conference delegates could not have been clearer: whilst delegates voted by the narrowest of margins to reject ratification of the proposed core constitution as presented, motions proposing that we should start from scratch or abandon this process altogether were roundly rejected.

In short, the case for far reaching reforms is as strong as ever and there will be no turning back.

I – and my colleagues on the NEC – have listened closely to what you’ve had to say during and since Annual Conference, and in discussing the issues yesterday, the NEC had to strike the right balance between genuinely listening to the views of students and students’ unions whilst maintaining the need for speed on reform.

As a result, it is the recommendation of the NEC, supported by an overwhelming majority of your elected representatives, that no extraordinary conferences are held before the summer. Instead we propose that you are given the opportunity to debate and vote upon revisions to the current reform package through an extraordinary conference in the first term.

I will be writing to you again in the near future to set out a clear timetable for us to publish some revised proposals, based on your feedback so far, and a clear timeline of rolling consultation, deliberation and decision-making processes taking us from now until December.

Under the leadership of Gemma Tumelty, NUS had undergone far-reaching changes beyond our democracy, from the installation of a strong new senior management team to the development of a strong strategic plan for the organisation. In addition to democratic reforms, that agenda will continue apace.

During the past year, I have been struck by just how much even some of NUS’ harshest critics within our movement have been willing to engage with this process and supported Gemma’s leadership. While your confidence in NUS’ ability to reform may have been knocked by setbacks at Annual Conference, I am confident that the feedback we have received and the clear determination to succeed shown by the NEC yesterday demonstrates the strong will to change that unites the overwhelming majority of our membership. You’ve got to be in it, to win it.

If you have any questions or comments before I write to you again, please do not hesitate to get in touch on governance@nus.org.uk.

In unity,

Wes Streeting

National President – elect

On Behalf of the National Executive Committee