In April, 300 University of Manchester students occupied the Arthur Lewis building, a symbol of the reality of privatisation in universities.  A lack of contact hours between staff and students led the protesters to occupy the building for several hours while the campaign, “Reclaim Our Uni,” discussed demands to put to the university management. Since then the campaign has organised a teach-in.

In Southampton University, the Student Union President's vote on “University Court meeting” was removed as part of a systematic campaign to undermine any element of student representation on university committees. Students were angered that fat cat multinationals, like BAE system (an arms company) and HSBC, a company that makes record profit from students, has more of a voice in the running of the university than students! Over 100 students marched through campus and blockaded the university court meeting, wearing gags to represent the silencing of the student voice.

These protests clearly show that students are prepared to fight neo-liberal attacks in universities. Unfortunately the National Union of Students leadership is protecting Brown’s weak government by refusing to organise a struggle for the scrapping of university fees and for free education. What is really needed is a fighting leadership to struggle for free education and decent facilities. The Socialist Societies on campuses across Northern Ireland and our sister organisation in England and Wales, Socialist Students, will continue to play an important role in the fight back