Brian Souter: bigot
I remember it clearly. The school may have been conservative, but the teacher herself was really very liberal. "How do gay people have sex?" "I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to…
Paradoxes of ‘prevent’
In what seems to be becoming my rather curious emerging role as Bright Green’s resident terrorologist, a few words are probably in order about the government’s new ‘Prevent’ strategy, released…
Reinvigorating the Student Movement
Last Saturday the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) held a 'reinvigoration conference' at Birmingham university to debate its future direction and the need for an elected steering committee.…
Take action: ask Professor Dawkins not to teach at £18k college
I've just sent this to Richard Dawkins: Dear Professor Dawkins, I am saddened to hear of your involvement in the £18,000 a year “New College for the Humanities”. I have…
AC Grayling – the executioner
It was, of course, inevitable. For years now, UK governments have massively underfunded higher education. We sit in the bottom quarter of OECD countries for public funding for universities. But…
NEWS: National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts – national committee elected
The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts today had its annual conference in Birmingham, at which it elected a national committee. Those elected (using the Single Transferable Vote) were (in…
Report on the Report of the Global Commission on Drug Policy
The Global Commission on Drug Policy reported this week. The Commission included current and former presidents and prime ministers, secretaries of state etc from of a number of countries, Kofi…
Students win in Scotland through Power of Protest
Jim Hacker, the fictional Prime Minister in “Yes Prime Minister” at one point says grandiosely of the electorate “It's the people's will. I am their leader; I must follow them.”…
What Cameron and Willetts Really mean when they Attack Immigration and Feminism
Today David Cameron is indulging in some hardline populist rhetoric on immigration. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Conservatives need someone to blame for the failure of Thatcherism to…
We shouldn’t be surprised that Liam Burns won
The idea that Shane Chowen was the frontrunner for NUS President always seemed dubious. Liam Burns - the eventual winner, had a huge amount on his side. On the first…