Still Waiting

STILL WAITING

Why AULS voted to Censure Labour Students

On the night of the 13th of February AULS voted to censure Labour Students. For the reasons behind this we must think back to the start of the academic year 2011/2012. When AULS managed to win a nationwide competition run by Labour Students for the best Fresher Fayre. There was significant pride that such a small club was able to win such a competition and we were excited that soon we might get a Shadow Cabinet Minister visiting right here in Aber! We did not presume that Ed Milliband would come rushing to sample the pleasures of Pier and the Union! However we did expect someone to come, at some point. A promise is a promise right?

The old committee worked, sent emails and protested to Labour Students for a year, while the club grew and got involved in campaigns run by both Labour Students and local CLP's, both inside and outside election time. As an ordinary member I simply assumed that one day the pledge would be honoured and that Labour Students would come good in the end. However when the new committee was elected we were still short a Shadow Cabinet Minister. This year has seen continued lobbying behind the scenes that has not appeared to make much difference. This is a source of frustration for all of us, hence the Censure Motion. It was not passed with joy nor with malicious intent, but with a profound sense of regret that this outstanding issue has not been resolved. 

A part of this sadness for me is that as this committee moves towards its final few months I realise that the last member to have worked upon that stall will soon be leaving us without the Labour Students pledge being fulfilled. Abi Kas, Tom Regan, Gilly Reynolds, Stuart MacNaughtan,  these aren't just names, but friends who've left university without receiving the recognition and reward they deserved for their hard work and this is deeply saddening for a member of an organisation which has campaigned on the issues of fair remuneration and the honouring of pledges.  

This sense of a missed opportunity has been compounded by the fact that others have independently decided to visit Aberystwyth in the mean time, for instance Vaughan Gething AM gave a quick talk and a Q&A session in November and Owen Smith, Shadow Secretary of State also came down to visit us within the last week, an event for which we had a great turn out and was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

This is why Aberystwyth University Labour Students voted to censure Labour Students for their failure to arrange a Shadow Cabinet Minister visit to Aberystwyth and their failure to apologise to those members who have graduated in the mean time. When all is said and done, we're all on the same side, no one is individually to blame here, these things will happen within a large organisation, it is inevitable. But I hope that this motion will prompt Labour Students Committee to move to keep this pledge as quickly as possible and to do the right thing. The bottom line is: no one loses when a promise is kept.

Matthew Bold

Vice Chair

This post was edited at 09:44 16/06/2013