Students organised demonstrations. 35,000 Kennington in Sonth against the cuts in students' benetits proposed in the Fowler review.
These would mean the loss of all housing and supplementary benefits in term-time and holidays, for which students are at present eligible The demonstration Wedge, NATFHE, NUPE and SOGAT 82.
But there was dissatisfaction with the NUS leadership's response to the proposals and NUS president Phil Woolas was booed throughout his speech. Students stormed the platform olasise luw posals was and to try and encourage students to occupy their colleges in protest.
They also wanted to march on parliament instead of the suburban route adopted by the organisers. this demonstration is nave to araw on ine labour movement lor suppori. At a recent national rally they put hemselves in the ridiculous position of having David Owen on the platform backing 'mergers' between colleges.
NOLS The Natonal| Organisation Students (NOLS), tional Union of Students, held its annual conference last weekend. It failed to adopt any position on the Labour Party NEC's expulsions 'because of lack of time'.
It was a selective gathering. Missing from the 200 delegates were representatives of Labour Clubs up and aown the vulli y disagree with the similar to the Labour which dominates the NOLS leadership).
wentv-tour delegates WIlOEl alone. Many more had already been disqualified for unstated reasons.
There was a tiny turn out trom the Militantcontrolled Welsh Organisation OLUCCHES. which had been suspended.
By a strange cincidence the new national committee contains 12 Democratic Left supporters, one Militant and Socialist porter. The committee includes three known witchhunters including NOLS' new chair Ben Lucas.
This method of dealing with opponents -worse than the worst excesses of Militant -portant to note because NOLS is being developed by Kinnock as the alternative pole for youth to the LPYS and, eventually, an alternative. The posts of youth officer and student officer are to be merged to take away the LPYS's full time post and leave the 'Democratic ett' NOLs full tımer in charge ol youth at Walworth Road.
NOLS' and its backing for troop withdrawal from Ireland, will stay on paper in an organisation where all independent thought is summarily excluded. As Phil Woolas. relationship to the Labour Party will be one of 'subservience'. And that, presumably, is what will matter most for Kinnock's New Model Youth.
The West Midlands LPYS conference on 1-2 one of its biggest ever students came to London march heard greetings from Red to emserious the threat from these profight for a breakawar More mass action Ilke neded and the NUS will of which controls the Nawho happened to 'Democratic Left' (a grouping Coordinating Committee, were disqualified reason on the day before the conference oI unconstitutionally Organiser supABOUR