Long time No Update

It’s almost a week since I last updated this blog. Sitting here in the Harrison Learning Centre I thought I should I update this blog rather then look at why the Tories failed to win the 2001 General Election (deadline 15th December).

Anyone who read my last post could have been under the impression that the NUS National Demonstration 2004. was on Monday however that was my mistake I didn’t read it through properly before publishing it.

Thursday was the day of the NUS National Demonstration 2004. For a little bit I was worried when it was just Chris, Gez and myself but then LDYS Cardiff, David Rendel MP, Jenny Randerson AM, Liberal Democrat Cardiff Central PCC Jenny Willott arrived. Soon we were joined by members from London, Swansea, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Aberystwyth and I have no idea where else. At this point I realised that the Liberal Democrats were once again reinforcing their commitment to the fight against Tuition fees and Top-Up fees. At a point in this fight when many students have turned off and decided that they will stick with what raw deal Labour are serving them the Liberal Democrats are coming forward and showing that there is an alternative to funding Higher Education through Tuition and Top-Up fees by implementing policies in Scotland and by making the case for taxing incomes over £100k at 50% which would not only allow the government to Scrap tuition and top-up fees for students but also allow them to introduce free personal care for the elderly and keep down the rate of local taxes.

It was noticeable that the Conservatives who claim to be the opposition are not an opposition. Not only were they totally absent on the march but they couldn’t even provide a speaker to show the Labour party that there is a political opposition to tuition fees and top-up fees which will widened the gap between social classes, worsen the problems of student debt and will not raise the extra money that universities need.

As LDYS's National Union of Students spokesperson I just like to thank Chris Lomax for getting David Rendel MP to agree to come along and for helping with getting resources sorted for the day, I’d like to thank David Rendel MP, Jenny Randerson AM, Liberal Democrat PCC for Cardiff Central Jenny Willott, Liberal Democrat PPC for Westbury Duncan Hames and all the Liberal Democrat members who came along. I’d also like to thank Chris Keating for producing the literature for the day and Sarah Green for helping to translate from English to Welsh. Thanks Gez Smith & Jade Farrington for press releases and presswork they did for the event. Thanks also to Thomas Paul for his constant advice and communication with the various people to keep things together and encourage others to participate. Finally thanks James Matthews and Katie Leech for helping to get things started and going in preparation for this event.

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