Class of 2009

It falls to me this year to write the customary blog post about the excellent Manchester Labour Students officers that are graduating. We are losing some fantastic people who have been hugely influential and will be greatly missed:

Michael Charles Joslin

Mike is without question the most distinctive character I have ever come across. He has two stand-out abilities, getting things done and getting his bike stolen. Under Mike’s chairmanship of the club we held some great events and strengthened our relationship with the Withington Labour Party. While at University Mike has made massive contributions to the Manchester Labour Party, North West Young Labour, Labour Students nationally, UMSU, and of course Manchester Labour Students itself to name only a few. Mike is going on to work for Labour North West, I’m sure he will be involved in Labour politics for years to come but if it doesn’t work out, I suggest a career in law enforcement…

Alex James

Alex has been an immensely committed and loyal Labour Club member, who notably served as Chair of MLS during the UMSU 08 elections that saw the Incredibles Coalition (which included MLS) achieve electoral success. Alex did great work as a part-time Executive Officer of UMSU, including helping to make significant process on reform to UMSU. He is a great campaigner who works very hard for the cause. And of course I won't ever forget that the football team he supports is Luton Town Watford. Alex is going on to work for Liam Byrne MP in Birmingham.

Ash Singleton

Ash seems to have gone on a political journey since he has been at Manchester, he joined MLS at the start of his third year and in just that one year his contribution to club has been immeasurable, most recently as our Publicity Officer. I won’t ever forget hearing a voicemail he recorded while very drunk that simply said “Mrs Thatcher, Mrs Thatcher” over and over again. Ash has some very interesting job prospects lined up and we wish him well whichever he ends up doing.

I’m sure the whole of the club wishes everyone leaving us this year the very best in what they are doing and thanks them very much for all they have done for Manchester Labour Students!

Brief Thoughts on June 4th

It has been a few weeks now since the European Parliament and local election results and now after all of the over-hyped furore has subsided; it seems like a good time to reflect.

Firstly in terms of Labour’s performance, you would quite rightly call me mad if I said these results weren’t bad for Labour. However it is worth remembering the anti-politics and minority parties vote that there is in Euro elections hurt governing parties in the UK in particular and in terms of the local elections Labour only lost 1% in the share of the popular vote compared to last year’s local elections. In Manchester, where MLS focused its campaigning efforts, Labour’s vote held up very well.

Secondly the BNP winning seats in Yorkshire & the Humber and right here in the North West is a much more difficult thing to swallow than just mid-term blues. The fact that fascists were elected to a Parliament in the UK is horrendous and the fault of the political class as a whole and it falls on all main parties to deal with it, the reason they elected wasn’t because of an increase in their vote, it was due to other people staying at home. The BNP don’t speak for me or of the vast, vast, vast majority of people in this country.

In my own opinion the BNP winning 2 MEPs should sound caution to those calling for wide-spread constitutional reform, the electoral system used for the European Parliament is madness and forms of PR only allow for parties like the BNP to gain seats and gain ground. To react to the current political problems which include the BNP’s election with making it easier for them to get elected in future is nothing short of insane.

So where do we go from here? In terms of the BNP I think, particularly some in the student movement, should spend a little less time talking about how bad the BNP are to each other and a little more time actually tackling them by getting the anti-BNP vote out in elections. The BBC and others need to recognise that it is acceptable to no-platform fascists and racists in a bid not to legitimatise a band of thugs as a credible political party.

In terms of the Labour Party, some elements need to realise that it isn’t our leader that is harming the party’s chances in the next general elections, it is the disunity and lack of a sense of purpose. Labour has something to fight for at the next election, let’s make sure it is fighting for the future of the country and not fighting each other.