Courtney Robinson – newly elected President of Belfast Met Students’ Union – has issued a call for the students’ movement in Northern Ireland to organise a major demonstration on November 19th. This comes in the wake of the announcement of 15% cuts in government funding across further and higher education institutions here.
Courtney has said:
“These cuts will have a dramatic impact on services, students and staff. For example, around 3,000 places could be cut at the University of Ulster alone! This comes on top of the recent cuts to the Student Hardship Fund and Education Maintenance Allowance. We need a united and determined response to these cuts alongside the trade union movement.”
“The National Union of Students is backing a national demonstration against fees, cuts and debt in London on November 19th. The students’ movement here should sieze this opportunity to bring students onto the streets in a major demonstration and send a strong, united message to the politicians at Westminster and Stormont ahead of the genereal election – no ifs, no buts, no education cuts!”
“The politicians talk of recovery but it’s only for the bankers and the super-rich. For workers and young people, there is no end in sight to cuts, privatisation and attacks on our rights and living standards unless we stand up. This demonstration could be a small step towards redeveloping a real, united fightback against austerity, to demand our recovery.”
