Organise the student fightback!

March against the Tories 4 October
Join the national student demo 4 November
Fight for student strikes

Alex Davies, Aberystwyth Socialist Students

The government is launching another range of attacks on students. Following the devastation caused by £9,000 fees, this new all-Tory government is getting ready for round two.

The 2015 budget includes a rise in tuition fees. Some universities will even be allowed to raise their fees in line with inflation, meaning £10,000 fees are not out of the question!

As well as this, means-tested maintenance grants, created primarily for the poorest, are being scrapped and replaced with loans.

This will be what the next five years looks like if we do not fight back and organise. We should immediately voice our opposition to these attacks on 4 October, at Tory party conference in Manchester.

Thousands of workers and young people will march against austerity in the first national demonstration since the budget and the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader. Jeremy Corbyn stands for free education and against austerity and we should use this as a platform in our campaign.

A national student demonstration has been called on 4 November demanding free education and living grants for all. This will be another fantastic opportunity to show students' anger and power in the face of government attacks.

But as well as taking action on the streets, we need to take action and organise on campus. Some have raised the idea of student strikes.

These were a central tactic in Quebec in 2012 when a mass movement of students defeated tuition fee rises. They organised student demonstrations, organising occupations and strikes, with tens of thousands of workers marching alongside them.

A student strike, alongside action by workers and trade unions who are facing massive attacks of their own, would have a tremendous effect.

For this to be organised by the National Union of Students, 5% of all student unions must support the idea. This means 30 student unions from either colleges or universities need to sign up, which we are campaigning to achieve.

On the streets and on campuses we must fight back to defend our education!

See www.socialiststudents.org.uk

Donate to the Socialist Party

Coronavirus crisis - Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
Our 'fighting coronavirus workers' charter', outlines a programme to combat the virus and protect workers' living conditions.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.