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► Labour Students

Labour Students

Labour Students is a left of centre student organisation which is affiliated with the Labour Party. Since it's foundation in 1970 Labour Students has grown in size and organisation and is now one of the most influential organisations in British politics. Based on principles of democracy and socialism, Labour Students unites individual Labour Clubs using national campaigns, conventions and councils. It allows all clubs to have a national voice, and supports the Labour Party in campaigns and elections.

Labour Students History

Labour Students was founded in 1970 after the Labour Party's old student branch National Association of Labour Student Organisations became infiltrated by the Socialist Labour League, which later became part of the Militant Tendency. Labour Students initial goals were mainly to reunite its own warring factions into a coherent organisation which could represent Labour supporting students. To this end, Labour Students were highly visible during the campaign to end the Militant Tendency, and some consider that is was this initial anti-leftist stance which set the stage for today's often centrist position.

Initially NOLS operated within the Broad Left faction of NUS, but later it stood it's own candidates, and through securing support from the rest of the left managed to maintain the Presidency of NUS for nearly twenty consecutive years between 1982 and 2000. With the rise of anti-Labour sentiment, especially anti-Blair sentiment, Labour Students power began to wane, and though they have successfully fielded candidates in every NUS conference since their foundation they have not held the presidency since 2000; that honour going to the Labour-leaning Organised Independent faction, who have successfully thrown the negative associations of the Labour government whilst maintaining the principles, gaining wide support.

Labour Students Activity

Labour Students is active in all aspects of British politics. It's members stand for election in the NUS, in local government and even for parliament. It also supports Labour candidates, by mobilising local university-city branches to campaign. Labour Students has several major events over the year, which HULC attends. The first is the Stoke Rochford retreat weekend, where the nations clubs come together to socialise and hear speakers talk on campaign and recruitment methods, Labour's future and student politics. Later in the year, around Christmas, Labour Students holds it's national council in London, where national policy is discussed and voted on. There are several events each year, both nationally and locally, which are organised by the exec team of Labour Students. HULC has an excellent record of attending these functions, and we pride ourselves on being both the most active and most intelligent club! (we won the NOLS quiz the last two years)

Labour Students Politics

Labour Students is often seen as being the strong right arm of New Labour, but the truth is that it contains a wide variety of opinion and ideology. NOLS is an organisation of local clubs rather than a single body, so it contains many different individuals, who advocate political positions from Neo-Bevanite to Blairite. In a vote over which Labour Leader was the greatest since the parties founding, NOLS members were virtually tied between Tony Blair and Clement Attlee, showing a divide in politics if not in purpose. Labour Students prides itself on being one of the most influential political organisations in the country, and certainly the most influential student organisation

Labour Students Democracy

Labour Students elects a national committee each year, consisting of three sabbatical officers, several portfolio members and seven non-portfolio members. The Committee runs national campaigns as well as organising individual clubs into socials and conventions. The current Sabb team includes Kenny Young (National Chair), Rob Newman (National Secretary) and Emily Richards (Campaigns and Membership). Anyone can stand for election, through a process of nomination and then election at national council by the council of delegates.

Labour Students leaders. From left to right Kenny Young (Chair), Wes Streeting (NUS VP Education), Be Pringle (NUS Block of 12), Steph Peacock (Labour Party National Executive), Emily Richards (Campaigns and Membership), Katie Curtis (NUS Block of 12), Rob Newman (National Secretary).

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