National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts Conference 2014

National Camapign Against Fees and Cuts conference

This weekend a group of activists from Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts travelled to Manchester to attend the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts conference, joining other Free Education university and sixth form students from across the country, including people from Warwick, London, Birmingham, Hastings, Manchester, Sheffield and Oxford.

Topics discussed included the future of the Free Education movement, upcoming days of action, and direct action tactics. A series of workshops throughout the weekend conference covered subjects such as safer spaces, the housing crisis, building the movement and education privatisation.
There was a strong emphasis on linking together with other "active minorites" and trying to bring the activist movement together as a whole, acknowledging educational activism as being part of a broader struggle.
 
One of the Bath activists said: "It was encouraging to see such a broad range of people gathered together in support of Free Education. It felt like a productive weekend and this movement is only going to build in anticipation of the general election in May."

"We now have links with other universities and will be working closely with them on future actions. It was very useful to speak to people and share ideas. The workshops were also very useful and there was a very constructive atmosphere."

"There was a real feeling at the conference that this is the real start of the reinvigoration of the student movement."

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts are currently planning actions for the new year. In the meantime, if you want to get involved, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Bath Students in Show of Solidarity with UWE #FreeEducation Occupation

This afternoon, members of Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts travelled to the UWE Frenchay Campus Lecture Theatre 2B025 to show solidarity with Free Education UWE and drop off some goodies and bottled water.

Students from Free Education UWE have been occupying the lecture theatre since Monday, in opposition to tuition fees, police brutality towards student protestors in Britain and elsewhere, and in support of Free Education. They would also like to see an end to the university's connections to the arms trade, which has long been a cause for concern for UWE students.

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts at the Free Education UWE occupation this afternoon

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts found the UWE occupiers in good spirits. The lecture space is occupied 24 hours a day, however disruption to lectures in the theatre have been kept to a minimum. On Friday a day of free lectures is planned and is open to all.

We had a chat with one of the UWE occupiers about how things are going. They told us : "This has been a chance to get students together, particularly first year students, who make up the majority of the students involved. The occupation will end this week due to the Christmas break, but when we come back the campaign will continue with regular meetings, looking towards further action."

Members of Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts are intending to join with other Free Education activists from around the country at the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) conference in Manchester at the weekend, and promise to continue the fight into the new year, with plans for further actions in work.

Flyer from Free Education UWE

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UWE #FreeEducation Occupation

Following a national demonstration in London on November 19th and subsequent occupations, blockades and marches over the last week throughout the country, including Bath and Warwick, students at the University of the West of England (UWE) have occupied a lecture room in a demonstration in support of free education and an end to tuition fees as well, as an end to police brutality of protestors in America, Mexico and the University of Warwick. The occupiers issued a statement earlier this evening:

UWE Free Education statement of occupation 

Students at the University of the West of England have gone into occupation in support of Free Education for all. Education is a human right that has increasingly been annexed off by the political elite for the privileged few, for those able to take on the £44,000 worth of debt that an undergraduate degree incurs. In protesting this system over the past week students at Warwick University have been met with police brutality, pepper sprayed and threatened with tasers; students at Sheffield University have been illegally and dangerously locked into their occupation, with security blocking fire exits with the use of chains and padlocks.

Bristol’s students are united in solidarity with their comrades nationally and across the world that are standing up for their rights, and resisting oppression by the elite. We send our full hearted support to the students of Mexico who live in constant fear of being abducted and killed for demanding what is theirs and those in the United States suffering and resisting police brutality.

Join us in lecture room 2B025 to stand up for:
• Free Education
• Cancellation of student debt
• Unconditional student grants
• Our freedom to protest
• A living wage and fair conditions for all staff who work for UWE directly or indirectly
• Divestment of arms trade connections
• Police off campus
Universities are not factories, nor prisons. Knowledge is not a consumer product and we are not your clients.

Twitter: @UWEFreeEd
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FreeEducationUWE

In other #FreeEducation news, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) have announced a conference for student #FreeEducation activists and supporters in Manchester this weekend. http://anticuts.com/register-2014/

Over in Bath, after a heavy week of campaigning, blockading and marching, Bath Students Against Fees And Cuts are holding an open meeting today (Tuesday, 9th December) at 7.30pm in The Westgate to discuss future actions.

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Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts - #FreeEducation March

This afternoon, over 100 students and allies marched through the streets of Bath to call for the abolition of tuition fees and an end to the marketisation of higher education. Other universities around the country were also undertaking similar actions.

The March for Free Education set off from Bath Abbey at 12:30pm and saw protestors head to the top of the city before singing and chanting their way to a rally in the middle of the new Southgate centre.
As well as Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts (an alliance of students from Bath Spa University and University of Bath), Bath University and College Union (UCU), University of Bath Students Union, Bath Against Cuts, Occupy Bath and the Green Party pledged their full support. Also in attendance were members of BARF Anarchists, The Labour Party, Stop the War Coalition, University of Bath Unison, University of Bath Gender Equality Group, Bath Athiests, Humanists and Secularists, The Quakers, The Socialist Party, Bath Trades Council, Bath Women's Group, Unite the Community and 38 Degrees.

Speakers included students from both universities, Dr Michael Carley From Bath UCU, Joe Rayment from University of Bath Unison, as well as Dominic Tristram, the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Bath and Ollie Middleton, the Labour Party parliamentary candidate.

The students issued a statement earlier in the week regarding their blockades of both Bath Spa University and University of Bath on Wednesday 3 December:

“Education is a right, not a privilege. It is a public good that benefits society. Education pays for itself. We also can tax the big businesses that benefit from education, reduce military expenditure and/or clamp down on tax avoidance. The disruption we're causing is a small price to pay in comparison to the destruction of the education system. If we don't do something about it now then privatisation of education is only going to continue. We want universities and politicians to start taking this issue seriously.”
Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts will be holding an open meeting on Tuesday 9th December at 7.30pm in the Westgate pub, to which all students and allies are invited to attend.

Bath students interviewed had the following to say:

"After a demonstration in London on 19th November with thousands of students in attendance, and subsequent actions that campuses across the country have undertaken this week, including our blockades of the entrances to both campuses on Wednesday, and the occupation in Warwick University, it is clear that there is a revival of the student activist movement and that this is only the beginning of the campaign for free education."

Placards spotted included "All I want for Christmas is an end to tuition fees", "No Cuts, No Fees" and our new favourite placard "David Cameron loves Nickelback."

David Cameron
loves Nickelback

Student Will Pettifer told us "It was important to hold a high profile demonstration in the City of Bath, gather support, network with people who agree with our message, to show Don Foster and the universities that we are not satisfied and won't stop until we get what we want."

Dominic Tristram, the Green Party parliamentary candidate said " Education is a right, it should be free. Education is part of being a rounded person. It should be available to all regardless of needs. That's why the Green Party says no to tuition fees."

Student Maisie Sanders gave us her version of events: "It went really well. over 100 people came. There was lots of support from the public in the streets. The speeches were really good. We've made our voices heard. There were so many people out for the Christmas market who heard what we have to say."

Video of today's demonstration:



Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts Facebook page

Twitter: @Bath_Students

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Bath Universities - #FreeEducation Blockade

#FreeEducation blockade at University of Bath

On Wednesday December 3rd, the entrances to both University of Bath and Bath Spa University were blockaded at 8.30am in support of free education by demonstrators from Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts. David Cameron somehow put in an appearance at both universities at the same time, holding a toll sign offering entry for £9000 (the current cost of tuition fees). The students successfully prevented vehicle access to the universities for up to an hour.

David Cameron at
University of Bath

A group of ten demonstrators initially completely blockaded, and later partially blockaded, the main entrance to Bath University's Claverton Down site for over an hour. Despite the inconvenience caused, students and staff alike were mostly supportive. Plenty of beeps, waves, smiles, and kind words kept the demonstrators going safe in the knowledge that education as a right, and not a privilege, was set within the minds of all.

Meanwhile, at Bath Spa, a similar-sized group was able to blockade the main driveway. Despite support from other outraged students, an aggressive van driver attempted to drive into the blockade after around 20 minutes, breaking up the blockade. Demonstrators then began a static demonstration on the campus.

Immediately prior to the demonstration, students from both universities issued the following statement:

“Education is a right, not a privilege. It is a public good that benefits society. Education pays for itself. We also can tax the big businesses that benefit from education, reduce military expenditure and/or clamp down on tax avoidance. The disruption we're causing is a small price to pay in comparison to the destruction of the education system. If we don't do something about it now then privatisation of education is only going to continue. We want universities and politicians to start taking this issue seriously.”

#FreeEducation blockade at
Bath Spa University

Other universities throughout the country took part in direct actions, including occupations and other demonstrations. At the University of Warwick, police used CS spray and excessive force on peaceful demonstrators  in an horrific display of violence against people who are only trying to make a better future for themselves and others.

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts are organising a #FreeEducation march on Saturday 6th December at 12:30pm, outside Bath Abbey, and invite all individuals and groups that support their cause to attend.

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Bath Universities Blockaded in Support of Free Education

In support of Free Education, students from both Bath Spa University and University of Bath are blockading the entrances to both campuses as of 8.30am today.

With David Cameron masks, a £9000 toll booth sign and students blocking the road, the students intend to raise awareness to the issues surrounding student debt and tuition fees. The blockades are part of a national day of action, with other universities around the country also taking similar actions.

A statement from the students reads: “Education is a right, not a privilege. It is a public good that benefits society. Education pays for itself. We also can tax the big businesses that benefit from education, reduce military expenditure and/or clamp down on tax avoidance. The disruption we're causing is a small price to pay in comparison to the destruction of the education system. If we don't do something about it now then privatisation of education is only going to continue. We want universities and politicians to start taking this issue seriously.”

A march in support of free education will be taking place on Saturday 6^th December at 12:30pm starting at the abbey.

Follow @stonestanding @Bath_Students @Occupy_Bath and @NCAFC_UK for updates.

These students have been left with no choice but to take direct action. They have marched, petitioned, campaigned and even voted against fees. The universities and our promise-breaking MP Don Foster (and his back-stabbing party) have let them down at every turn. Hopefully this and other actions throughout the country will once again bring this issue to the forefront.

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March For Free Education, December 6th

Calling all activists, students and anyone who cares about free education! Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts have called a march. Their press release reads as follows:

Following on from the Free Education demonstration in London on 19^th November, Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts, a coalition of students from University of Bath and Bath Spa University, are organising a march in support of free education on Saturday 6^th December, starting at Bath Abbey at 12:30pm.

Using the tagline “Education is a Right, Not a Privilege”, the students and other groups and individuals who will be joining them are continuing the fight back against tuition fees and cuts.

Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts are committed to keeping up the fight against tuition fees and the commercialisation of education.

Supporters can keep up to date on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/freeeducationbath

The Facebook event page for the march is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/882071801816928/

We caught up with Bath Spa University student Will Pettifer over the weekend, who explained why he will be attending the march.

"I object to the notion of education plunging young people into tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt.

It is something that affects all students. Students are extremely angry and upset, but many feel like they have no choice. One of the purposes of demonstrations like this to show students that there is something they can do to change the situation."

"It is part of a nationwide campaign with other students and universities engaging in similar actions. We hope that through uniting with other students throughout the country, we will achieve our aims."

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Foster Watch #1 - Badger Cull and Tuition Fees

FOSTER WATCH
is a new series of posts following Bath MP Foster, who is now Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government. Details of Don's voting record can be found at http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/40062&showall=yes#divisions


The Badger Cull

Today it was revealed that Don voted in favour of the badger cull - see here to find out how all MPs voted: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/186/

Previously, Don signed Early Day Motion 1591, which reads: 'That this House notes the encouraging downward trend in bovine TB incidence in England and Wales; urges the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs not to put these improvements at risk by culling badgers; further urges the Secretary of State to follow the peer-reviewed advice of the Independent Scientific Group to concentrate on improving and rigidly enforcing cattle-based controls and testing procedures in order to bring the disease under control; and calls on the Secretary of State to take account of the opportunities now offered by successful badger vaccination trials and to prepare the way with Brussels for the earliest possible application and introduction of cattle vaccines that offer the only real long-term solution.' http://www.donfoster.co.uk/?p=635

By voting in this manner, Don is now among those responsible for ConDemning badgers to death, when our top scientists have concluded that it will make "no meaningful contribution" to controlling TB in cattle. Although it is possible that the government would have gone ahead with the cull even if they had lost the vote, this site maintains that although it may have harmed his political career, voting against the cull would have been the right thing to do.

Conservative MP Tracey Crouch rebelled against her party's three-line whip yesterday and voted against the cull - because she did her research and decided that it was the right thing to do. Don should have followed her example.http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/mp_tracey_crouch_defies_party_whip_in_battle_against_badger_cull_1_2225038

More on the badger cull here: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-badger-cull-what-you-need-to-know.html

Tuition Fees

Don signed the 'Vote for Students' pledge - signed by over 1000 candidates in the 2010 general election, including all 57 Liberal Democrat MPs that were elected into office following the election. However, Don broke the pledge and voted for a rise in tuition fees http://www.libdemvoice.org/tuition-fees-how-liberal-democrat-mps-voted-22346.html

It should be noted that 21 Lib Dem MPs did keep their word, including high-profile MPs such as former leaders Menzies Campbell and Charles Kennedy.

Speaking to the Bath Chronicle, Don claimed "Had my vote helped to defeat the government, the coalition would have collapsed." The full article is here: http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Don-Foster-votes-Government-tuition-fees-rise-approved/story-11336467-detail/story.html#axzz2VNi2JBhE

This sparked outrage from the students in Bath - a small city with two universities - and his indecision prior to the vote sparked a protest outside his office: www.thisisbath.co.uk/Protest-planned-outside-MP-Don-Foster-s-office-tuition-fees/story-11320295-detail/story.htm

Don lost a lot of trust from the students and may never win it back. 

Foster Watch
1. Badger Cull and Tuition Fees
2. Decarbonisation Targets and NHS Reforms
3. Climate Change in the National Curriculum
4. Don's Revised Opinion on the Badger Cull

Disclaimer
Standing Stone's Blog and Foster Watch is an independent blog that is not affiliated with, nor endorses, any political party or general electoral candidate currently in existence. It maintains that all leadership and authority should be questioned and seeks to do just that.

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Occupy Bath to Return this Weekend

One year on, Occupy Bath is coming back for one weekend. One year later, we are still facing the same problems - and some new ones. The banks are still out of control and are largely unregulated. Unemployment is still rampant. Tuition fees have increased. Huge corporations such as Vodafone and Starbucks are still not paying their taxes. The cost of living is going up, but wages are staying the same. The NHS is effectively being privatised.

The 99% are not being prioritised. Corporations and extremely wealthy individuals are still raking in the cash, at the expense of us little people. Our democracy is still a shambles, highlighted by the overwhelming public opposition AND a majority in the House of Commons to a badger cull that is still planned to go ahead next year.

One year on, Occupy Bath is still campaigning for financial equality and a fairer and more democratic society. Since packing up camp last year, Occupy Bath founded the Bath People's Assembly, which is still going today (and put on the Visions for Change event back in April), and has undertaken several actions, including a Move Your Money campaign and offering free hot food in the centre of Bath. Many occupiers have also become involved in other activist and campaign groups. Elsewhere, the Occupy Movement is still alive and well, most signficantly in America, where occupiers are distributing food and aid to those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and in London, where many meetings, discussions and actions have taken place over the last year.

While a weekend camp won't change the world, it will provide a platform for people to discuss the issues affecting us and to voice the views to people who will listen. Amongst these discussions, time will be devoted to looking at how Occupy Bath can move forward. There will also be an action on Saturday afternoon, to be decided upon on Friday night. Plus, since the end of the camps, the Occupy Movement has been largely out of the eye of the media. This camp, which will not outstay its welcome, hopes to bring these issues under the spotlight once more and look for solutions.

The schedule for the weekend:

Friday
6pm - Meet at Green Park Station. We will then move to the occupation site and set up camp. Please bring some food.
8pm - General Assembly - the main focus will be Saturday's action

Saturday
12-2pm - Talks and discussions
2-3pm - ACTION (To be confirmed - we have some ideas, but someone may have a better one)
3-4pm - Speaker's Corner - an idea that has been kicking around for some time - we thought we'd give it a go!
5-6pm - Community Meal - please bring a vegetable (or two!) for the pot, and a plate if you can. All welcome! Veggie/vegan friendly food!
8pm - General Assembly - the main focus will be where Occupy Bath can go from here
9pm - Jam session - bring an instrument if you have one, if not just bring yourselves and enjoy!

Things to bring:
Tent
Sleeping bag/blankets
Some food
Waterproofs (just in case)
Torch

 The press release regarding the camp:

"From Friday November 16th until Sunday November 18th, Occupy Bath will be re-occupying in the city. The Occupy Movement worldwide may have been out of the media lately, but the issues which brought it about are as urgent as ever. The current coalition government are slashing social and public services, left right and centre. From education to housing, from unemployment to healthcare, policies are being enacted which will have a profound and long-lasting impact on our city, our country, and our planet. Occupy Bath, as was the case when we occupied Queen’s Square last year, seek to create a platform for protesting these policies, and for having an open discussion about what direction our society should take.

We are re-occupying, a year since we last occupied, as we believe it is important that these issues remain front and centre in the public consciousness, and to remind the people of Bath that, whilst we may not be occupying constantly, we are still very active in the form of the Bath People’s Assembly"

Standing Stone's Blog will be reporting on the events of the weekend.

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An Open Letter to Nick Clegg

Dear Nick Clegg,

Like the vast majority of people who care about the future of our country, and indeed the world, I watched your "apology" video to see what you had to say. Naturally, I was left feeling even more disappointed in you than ever. My reasons are thus:

1) Your apology only relates to a single issue. Although it was an issue that is important to many of your voters, it is by no means the only thing you should be apologising for. Making apologies is the very least that you could do, and I assume that this is only the first in a series of videos apologising for your (in)actions on issues such as the NHS, cuts to frontline services, the voting system, VAT, amongst others.

2) You broke your promise on tuition fees nearly 2 years ago. An apology this late in the day is next to meaningless. Why has it taken you so long to apologise?

3) It is only now, when support for the Liberal Democrats (particularly in their current incarnation led by yourself) has dropped to an all-time low, that you have come out and made this apology. It frankly wreaks of desperation.

4) Considering that tuition fees was one of your flagship policies, and that many of your MPs signed a pledge to not vote for a rise in them (including my MP, Don Foster, who represents a city with two universities and a large student population), you did not appear to put up much of a fight, at least not in public. I am therefore having great difficulty in believing that your apology is at all sincere.

5) You say that you shouldn't have had the policy in the first place, as it was likely that you would be in a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives. What message does this send to the other smaller parties? Should the Green Party therefore drop most of their environmental policies just in case they one day go into coalition with a less green party? You painted yourself and your party as a genuine alternative to "politics as usual", and the one thing you should not be apologising about is having the policy in the first place. Will your next manifesto therefore simply be an amalgamation of Labour and Conservative polices just in case you have to get into bed with one of them following the next election?

6) At no point did you explain what you are going to do (or at least attempt to do) to make amends for your error. How are you going to help students (or for that matter, the rest of the "99%") in the future? An apology does not lower the cost of living, give us jobs, education or healthcare, stop climate change, sort out the economy or make anyone's life better in any way shape or form.

WE DON'T WANT AN APOLOGY, WE WANT ACTIONS.

When you were in the position of "kingmaker" following the election results, people trusted you to make the right decision. When you went into coalition with the Tories, it was an unpopular choice - but then so would a coalition with Brown's Labour have been. We expected you to keep a tight rein on them, not the other way around. We expected you to fight for us, not be pushovers having to apologise for not doing anything.

If this were an apology for a battle well-fought, I could accept it. If you had really put your foot down on one, just one, of your flagship policies, the British public might still have an ounce of respect left for you. Believe or not, you still have a chance. Admittedly, it will be harder now, as you have sunk so low in the public's opinion. Stop being a spineless coward and fight for us. SAVE THE NHS, and do not stop fighting until you have done it. Make it your mission, every single day, from the moment you get up to the moment you go to bed. Or be confined forever to the political wastelands.

We don't want any more apologies, Nick. If you fail, it is better to have gone down in a blaze of glory, than to have kept quiet and let the Tories wreck our country.

Standing Stone
Bath

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