Socialist Students
Socialist Students is a socialist organisation based in universities and FE/sixth form colleges across England and [[Wales].Socialist Students was established in the late 1990s by members of the Socialist Party of England and Wales (SP )who had built support for the Save Free Education Campaign amongst students in the battle over the introduction of fees when New Labour was first elected in 1997.
Socialist Students describes itself as a politically independent organisation, and has its own national committee and annual conference at which motions are debated and voted on. . Socialist Students produces the political magazine The Student Socialist twice a year in September and in February. IT Works together with International Socialist Resistance (a Socialist youth organisation involving school students, trade unionists and young workers) on campaigns such as "Boost our Pay" and "Hands off our Schools" (against city academies). The two organisations have a joint presence on anti-war and anti-G8/climate change demonstrations, which they term the "Red Contingent". Socialist Students also has international links through being affiliated to ISR with groups in countries such as Sweden, Pakistan and Germany as well as links with groups such as Socialist Youth in Ireland , Active Left Students and Blokbusters in Belgium , Youth against war and racism in the USA and Socialist Student Movement in Nigeria.
Political programme
Socialist Students is anti-capitalist and follows the IDeaS of Socialism. However, the organisation is reasonably broad, with some in the ranks being members of parties other than the SP - for example the Green Party of England and Wales or Forward Wales, with others being non-aligned . The structure of Socialist Students is federal, with each society or organising its own activity and campaigns as well as building nnational campaigns . Socialist Students aims to educate students in socialist and Marxist ideas, while giving students experience in debating, organising and intervening in struggle.
Socialist Students tries to put forward a working class perspective of events. They believe that students are unable to change the political system on their own arguing that it is nessacery to link the struggle of students to that of workers and youth.
A class approach is also argued for in the anti war movement where Socialist Students argue for opposition to the methods of individual [...], class unity against sectarianism in Iraq and the immediate withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The focus upon the need to suuport workers struggles in Socialist Student's programme and activity has also led to the support for the industrial action taken by public sector workers in and outside education.Socialist Students has organised delegations from universities and colleges to picket lines of striking postal workers and civil servants. Socialist Students calls for a mass party to represent working class people, Socialist Students supports the Campaign for a New Workers' Party.
Recent growth
Until recently, Socialist Students was only established in a limited number of universities, with little national influence. However, over the last few years Socialist Students has grown, as of 2006 claiming that it has 30 official student societies with a presence in about 25 more universities , collegesand schools. A Socialist Student members hold NUS positions at Portsmouth University , Huddersfield College , and the chair and secretary of the University of York's Socialist Students branch currently jointly hold the Policy and Campaigns position on York University Students' Union. It stood two candidates for the NUS' block of 12 at the 2007 conference and has gained prominence and recognition inside the student movement.
Campaign to Defeat Fees
After the National Union of Students (NUS) demonstration against fees on 29th October 2006, Socialist Students members launched the Campaign to Defeat Fees to argue for a fighting platform against tuition and top-up fees, arguing that NUS had given up the fight. Prior to the campaign's first day of action, Socialist Students received a message of support from National Union of Students, a message Socialist Students welcomed but were still critical of NUS's lack of action. The first day of action on 22nd February 2007 featured action taking place at over 40 Universities and Colleges, which was followed by another on 27th April 2007. The camapign is now planning a meeting on 1st September to discuss how the campaign can be taken further. So far students from 103 different schools, colleges or universities have signed the Campaign to Defeat Fees petition The next CDF day of action is on February 21 2008.