Student Protests in the UK

What it says on the tin...
Post Reply
User avatar
Tru
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 1389
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 12:09 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Student Protests in the UK

Post by Tru »

This has already been discussed somewhat in the Today Thread, but I think it deserves a thread of its own.

Unless you've been living under a rock (Or a different country!) you'll have seen the student protests on the news. They've been going off all around the country over the past few weeks, but most notably within Whitehall in London. The first one was organised by the National Union of Students, but was kinda spoiled by a minority of people causing some violence, which has been all over the media.

There are more protests going off today. In my city of Newcastle upon Tyne, the local schools have been holding walk outs and many non-University students have held some peaceful protests. My University is also holding a protest today, and up here we haven't had any incidents of violence at all.

You can read more on the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11877034

For those that don't know, the protests are about the plans to raise fees from the current £3k-ish a year to £6k a year that could reach £9k a year, which could stop many people from going to University if they cannot afford it.

What has students even more outraged is that many voted for the Lib Dems in the general election this year as they promised no rise in fees. The Lib Dems entered a coalition and have now u-turned on their promise, meaning many students are especially unhappy with the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, especially as he went around the country signing pledges against the rise in fees. Now he's the deputy Prime Minister, it looks like a rise in fees is inevitable.

What do you guys think about the situation and protests? Are students right to protest or are they being violent and selfish? Is Nick Clegg right or wrong?

Personally speaking I think it's an important issue. I'm in my final year, so this won't affect me, but it annoys me when current students don't care about the future of others just because it won't affect them.
User avatar
Kaito-kun
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5589
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Scotland
Preferred pronouns: He/Him/They
Contact:

Post by Kaito-kun »

I'm annoyed at Clegg for the u-turn and a rise in tuition fees isn't nice for students and folks considering uni (I'm classed as both!) but compared to other nations, even with the rise it's still pretty damn cheap for people to go to university in the UK. You're investing in your future after all.
User avatar
baraka6
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:36 am

Post by baraka6 »

I didnt vote but i wish i had now, i would have gone labour, altough im not a student, i am disguested by the fact our own government stuck a huge knife in the back of those who pay their wages!!!

The UK is falling appart and now their going to hike prices in Jan, up the VAT to 20% and bend us all over one by one and take us to town, this all should stop all together, the one "official" goverment which is supposed to help us is actually making the situation and our country worse making us all pay. I dont know what else to say but i hate government power and policies!!! every sector is damaged... get them out!!!


The students of our universities push and progress the worlds future with new found discoveries with what they learn and now their stating only people who have alot of finances can join our "elite" club. becuase only families with a lot of money can do what others cant........
User avatar
Kaito-kun
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5589
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Scotland
Preferred pronouns: He/Him/They
Contact:

Post by Kaito-kun »

baraka6 wrote:I didnt vote but i wish i had now,
If you didn't vote then you've thrown away your right to complain.

baraka6 wrote:...and now their stating only people who have alot of finances can join our "elite" club. becuase only families with a lot of money can do what others cant.
How on earth is this concept new to you? It's a bad system, but that's how it's always been.
User avatar
baraka6
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:36 am

Post by baraka6 »

ive got the right to complain no matter what, true i might not have voted to get whoever in power, but i pay my taxes which is part of their wages and control!

Its not new to me, but it hasnt been this bad in a long time, its only lately since new power they cut your jaffers off, most of labour power hasnt effected my life, but now they cutting more than ever, and it is along with many others causing probs, where is it going to leave us???
User avatar
Kaito-kun
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 5589
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:46 pm
Location: Scotland
Preferred pronouns: He/Him/They
Contact:

Post by Kaito-kun »

baraka6 wrote:ive got the right to complain no matter what, true i might not have voted to get whoever in power, but i pay my taxes which is part of their wages and control!
Voting was your chance to make your opinion heard and try and pick which route you wanted the nation to take. If you didn't take the opportunity when it was given to you what makes you think you can complain now when you didn't take any action in the first place?
User avatar
Tru
Level 14
Level 14
Posts: 1389
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 12:09 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Post by Tru »

I've gotta agree with Kaito, if you don't vote, then you let stuff like this happen. My house mate was very anti-voting, yet I managed to drag him, kicking and screaming, down to the ballot box.

I kinda feel bad for all my fellow students though. They all voted for the Lib Dems, and now things haven't quite worked out for them.
User avatar
Killer French Bread
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 1795
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 10:35 am

Post by Killer French Bread »

I disagree. Baraka has a point; he pays into this country, he has a right to criticise how it is run. Putting a tick on a box means you automatically have a right to moan now? You could also argue abstaining is still making a positive decision if you didn't like any of the candidates, just like the way people vote with their feet and won't buy products in the commercial sector if they don't like them.
baraka6 wrote: ... most of labour power hasnt effected my life, but now they cutting more than ever, and it is along with many others causing probs, where is it going to leave us???
Labour's power did affect your life, the reason we are having these cuts is because they spent money we didn't have or money gleamed from a banking sector that was a disaster waiting to happen. And if you don't like a big powerful government, the last party you want to vote for is the reds: they increased public spending to 51% of GDP by the end of their tenure. The government has never been as powerful or far reaching as it was under Blair and Brown. We were even within a few votes of police being able to lock people up for 90 days without charge, it's like something out of Richard III.
Tic Tac, sir?
Shockerbey
level 11
level 11
Posts: 388
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:17 am
Location: Downpatrick, Northern Ireland

Post by Shockerbey »

well i have to admit this topic is poorly covered in the mass media. students protest. of course we r gonna frigging protest. how can we be expected to take the prospect of walking out of uni with about 40 grand worth of debt and thats only for a 4 year course. it WILL become those who can afford to go to uni. im fighting to get there now but im paying fees through the metropolitan colleges. they expect us to clear these debts and lets face it ur not getting a high paid job without a degree in the economic climate. and although im opposed to the violent protest cause someone will get killed ( like the prat that threw a fire extinguisher off a roof) i can see that some people are saying whats the point im not gonna be able to afford uni anymore
User avatar
Gonic
Level 15
Level 15
Posts: 1905
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:42 pm
Location: West Yorkshire, Leeds
Contact:

Post by Gonic »

I joined the march in Manchester and felt like I accomplished nothing. I feel like all these marches and riots wont work (though some of the stuff that happened in London was over the top) I voted for lib dens dems to :/.
Image
Image
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests