Tories "fine" student union
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-11-24Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 3 →
Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: expect misread words, and now and then a caption or a line from a neighbouring story. For anything you quote, read the scan.
Scan page 3
A £30,000 fine is hanging over the head of Warwick University Students Union. The University Council, in the wake of a sit-down protest against Sir Keith Joseph, during which he was pelted with eggs and flour, have threatened to withhold the money from the Union if it organises another 'unruly' demonstration.
Since Rhodes Boyson changed the way student unions are funded, making them dependent on negotiations with college managements, student unions have been exposed to this sort of attack. A fine now means a deduction at source. The union doesn't have a choice about whether to pay the fine or not.
The student union is campaigning against the fine. So far, the students are boycotting services which the University runs and the union duplicates. University-run coffee bars are boycotted this week.
'Free speech'
Warwick's management protest they took the decision without government prompting. Joseph supports the action and other Tory front benchers are demanding a restoration of sities"
Patrick Jenkin, the Environment Secretary, is campaigning for Manchester University Students Union to be fined for the heckling which cut short Heseltine's speech and the red paint which splattered him. So far the Bursar of the University has refused, arguing that it would be impossible to prove that student union members were responsible and so any action would be unjust.
The clampdown comes just a month after the AttorneyGeneral circulated all student unions and college authorities with a letter urging college managements to vet student union spending.
Student unions are charities and not allowed to spend their money as they wish. Payments which are outside the prescribed limits are known as ultra vires payments. The law is very vague and there is an enormous grey area. In effect, payments are legal until proved otherwise. The Attorney-General now wants colleges to play the role of the courts and decide themselves what is an illegal payment.
At the same time Leon Brittan is renewing the Public Order Act. Leaks suggest that changes to be made will ban the peace camps and give the police the right to ban sit-downs as they can ban demonstrations. Camden Tenants Association Hall Peckham tiah Street LONDON SEVIS 26t+271 November Losts: 12 wajed unwaged Social with bands Or. minht.
50p with conference ticket.
Scan page 4
156, November 1983, Page 24,
----- pull-quotes -----
CLASSFIGHTER CONFERENCE