Sebastian Sultan was one of six delegates elected to represent Bristol at this year’s National Union of Students Conference.
By Maddy Russell, News Editor
Results for Bristol’s NUS Delegates for this year have been announced and include the anti-NUS candidate Sebastian Sultan.
Sultan, whose campaign called for an end to the ‘grandstanding and extremism’ in the NUS, received endorsements from the Bristol Conservative Association, the Bristol Liberal Democrats and JSoc.
In a statement outlining his plans, he told Epigram: ‘I pledge to oppose campaigning on all issues which don't primarily affect students. The NUS must focus on its raisin d'etre; it's not the UN or a social justice campaign.
'Instead of spending a fortune on multiple liberation conferences, it should spend a fortune on lobbying government to reduce interest rates on our loans, launch campaigns to publicise university failings on mental health or draft policies for political party manifestos which address our issues.
'The NUS can influencing government education policy if it's focused and respectable. No one cares what the NUS thinks about Brexit, people do care about the high quality research it publishes on student finance.
'Government won't be influenced by an NUS President who is viewed as an extremist or an anti-Semite (or both), they might listen to respectable President.
'I'll focus on free loans, not 'free Palestine'. I'll vote for NUS leaders who deserve our respect not our contempt. I'll fight for an NUS that works for us.'
🎉 Congratulations to all our new reps! 🎉
— Bristol SU (@Bristol_SU) October 25, 2019
You broke records voting them in, and they're excited to get to work. Keep an eye out for the full list of the wonderful winners! #SUYesYou pic.twitter.com/vUDQPsf8QG
Other delegates for this year will include three of Bristol’s SU Officers:
· Student Living Officer, George Bemrose
· Equality, Liberation and Access Officer, Jason Palmer
· Undergraduate Education Officer, Hillary Gyebi-Ababio
In a statement on his election George Bemrose said: 'I'm really excited to attend the NUS conference to be able to represent student interests on a national level. I also want to ensure that students on the ground in Bristol know what NUS does and is doing.'
Ruth Day, Co-Chair of Labour Students and organiser of last year’s rent strike, and first year student Saranya Thambirajah were also elected as delegates.
Featured image: Bristol Students' Union
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