David Cameron stand up for the poor? You must be joking ! ! ! !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7369621.stm

I saw this article today and I have to say, I was almost physically sick. To think that a man, who was lining his own pockets whilst the unemployment lines were getting longer and longer and the poor suffered under the tyranny of Margaret Thatcher, is capable of fighting for the poor is pretty much farcical. The person who has promised billions of tax cuts for the rich, provide for our poorest people? You must be joking.

Abolishing the 10 pence tax rate was a mistake, as many grassroots members of the Labour Party have expressed to the leadership, and they have listened and come up with a compensation package to provide for those who have lost out. But for this opportunistic repulsive rodent to say the Tories are the party of the poor makes me feel like I want to throw something at the wall.

To say that the Labour Party has abandoned the poor is beyond a joke. I'm not taking any lectures from a man whose party voted against the minimum wage or opposed working tax credits or voted against Labour’s record investment in our hospitals, schools and other public services. I’m certainly not taking any lectures from the man who was economic advisor the Norman Lamont on Black Wednesday, which destroyed the British economy.

David Cameron stand up for the poor? Oh look there is a squadron of flying pigs outside!

Vote Labour in the Local Elections May 1st!

Well it’s that time of year again. If you live in a Council area that has elections in three of every four years, which Manchester is one, then you will be accustomed to local elections by now. If you live in London then I’m sure you’ll know all about these elections. If you registered to vote or if you live in a University of Manchester Hall of Residence then you should have got a polling card by now, telling you where your polling station is.

There are plenty of reasons why you should vote Labour in these elections. The Labour Party has excellent candidates in wards across Manchester that are committed to the continued improvement of services in the city and working hard for the communities they seek to represent. Labour candidates across the country are working for safer and cleaner streets, better value for money, greener spaces, healthier communities and a better deal for young people.

I have to mention the London Mayoral Elections as well. Hopefully students in Manchester who live in any of the London Boroughs will have registered for a postal vote; if you have then you should have received or shortly be receiving your ballot papers. There are limitless reasons why you shouldn’t vote for Boris Johnson, a man whose policies fail to truly understand the issues that face Londoners in their day-to-day lives. Ken has the experience, the Labour values, as well as the continued vision to use innovative policies in London that make him the clear choice for Londoners.

Going out to vote is really important in local elections. Low turnout only helps BNP candidates come closer to taking seats and in some cases winning them. Local elections dictate the direction of your local community and ensure that you are heard locally.

Manchester Labour Students have been out in force campaigning in these local elections and we will keep out campaigning to the end. Most recently we have been campaigning in Chorlton on behalf of the Shelia Newman and in Salford for Peter Wheeler with Hazel Blears, Cabinet Minister and Salford MP.

If you want to read more about why you should vote Labour on 1st May then have a look at the Labour Party’s website: http://www.labour.org.uk/new_labour_your_britain_leaflet.

Unite the Union

Yesterday a delegation from Manchester Labour Students travelled to West Bromwich for a Labour Students & Unite the Union meeting about the Unite Working Students Campaign, promoting our links with the Trade Union movement and the excellent relationship Labour Students has with Unite.

Unite the Union is the biggest trade union in the UK with over 2 million members. It was formed through the merger of Amicus and TGQU in 2007.

Unite is trying to encourage students in work to join them to work for better rights and respect at work. As part of this, joining Unite costs only £10 per year for students and is well worth doing. You can join online through the Amicus section of Unite: http://www.amicustheunion.org/default.aspx?page=3136 and find more out about the campaign here: http://www.uniteworkingstudents.org/.

So if you’re a student in working, consider joining Unite today!

A Call For Sponsorship

On the 13th of April, this Sunday, an estimated 55,000 professional athletes, first timers and fun runners will fulfil their training pledges and contend with the 26.2 miles that make the London Marathon - I am lucky enough to be one of them.

But this is no mean feat. Considerable effort is required on the day to ensure that the body is able to work at a physical peak and contend with the heavy pounding of the ground and the draining of energy that happens during a run. This can only be done through many weeks of dedicated training.

After running the Barnes Green Half Marathon last November I was bitten by the running bug and after recovering from a bad ankle injury I entered training immediately. Since that point, having followed diet guides and weekly training programmes comprising of short mid week runs and ever increasing long weekend runs, the final hurdle is entering into sight – the big day fast approaches.

But all the effort is well worthwhile to help raise funds for charity. London Marathon calculates that in 2002, £31million was raised for good causes. I am running to raise funds for Cancer ResearchUK, a fantastic charity working to eradicate a disease that is the cause of 54% of female deaths under 65 and affects a third of us in our lifetimes. To find out more and donate online please check out my fundraising website: www.runningsponsorme.org/matthewfright.

The London Marathon website informs me that I have 2 days 14 hours and 5 minutes until the start of the race so I’d best run (sorry for such a bad pun) and cajole some more cash before the big day. Good luck to all my fellow runners and I hope they enjoy the race.

NUS Conference 2008

Well comrades I am writing this blog at a rather late hour. Why? Because for the last five days I and other dedicated Manchester Labour Students lived, breathed and sometimes had a little sleep in Blackpool. We were there as delegates from UMSUS and MMUnion and to campaign hard to elect Labour Students to the NEC.

And I have to tell you that we won! We and so many Labour Students from across the UK played our part in helping to elect Wes Streeting to National President. Wes is the first Labour Student to win the position in a number of years and won with a convincing share of the vote.

Also we elected three Labour Students to the Block of 12. Ed Marsh, Susan Nash and Hollie Williams were elected.

In policy debates so many good progressive motions were carried overwhelmingly by Conference floor. However in one major upset we lost the ratification on the Governance Review. I was gutted to see the proposals blocked but waking up the next day to campaign and elect a National President, pass progressive policy and elect a quarter of the block ensured that things got so much better after that setback.

What an intense, emotional and exciting week. What a time to be a Labour Student. What a time for you to join and get active in our local election campaigning this month and all the way til May 1st.

Changes to our Executive Committee

Following the Students’ Union elections, Rob Pinfold resigned as Vice-Chair of Manchester Labour Students so he can fully concentrate on changing UMSU in his full-time newly elected role as General Secretary in the next academic year. I’m sure everyone on the Executive will join me in thanking Rob for all he has done on the Exec and wish him the very best as General Secretary.

In addition, Alex James resigned as Chair of Manchester Labour Students to allow him more time when he takes up his post as Humanities Faculty Officer on the UMSU Executive next year. He isn’t leaving our Exec however as in a special meeting of the club he was elected Vice-Chair.

Mike Joslin, who had done a fantastic job as Campaigns Officer, culminating with the electoral success of Rob and many others within UMSU, was elected the new Chair of Manchester Labour Students. Mike is renowned as someone with ardent dedication to what he believes in but perhaps best known for his amazing ability to have his bikes stolen.

Richard Neudegg, who was on the Block of 3 on the Executive, was elected as the new Campaigns Officer.

The current Executive’s term lasts until the club’s Annual General Meeting in November/December 2008. You can see our full Executive on our website.