Today I have read a response from one of the members of the NEC who occupied the stage at Extraordinary Conference 2. As the attachment was loading on my computer I was excited about the prospect of the protesters realising the way they campaigned was totally inaccessible and unacceptable.... but when I read the text I was bitterly disappointed. Below are extracts of the response I received which appear on the National Officer Blog page.

"Politics and the actions that flow from them are inseparable. I address this not to the members of the NEC and others using arguments about accessibility to deflect from the underlying political differences but to those within the Disabled Students campaign who participated in the extraordinary and Disabled Students conferences."...

Let’s get this straight, the Disabled Students' committee and I have worked so hard this year with members of the NEC to make NUS accessible. The fact is, NUS is taking accessibility seriously now and to state that the NEC are using accessibility as an argument to deflect from underlying political differences is:

1. Undermining the NEC's great work and commitment to making NUS accessible to everyone; and


2. Totally off the mark and untrue.... FACT! (Note, that’s my wording not Dave Lewis's)

"No argument has been put forward as to why the protest was discriminatory or inaccessible because it could not be substantiated. The allegation that the Disabled Students' officer faced discrimination is simply untrue. In a venue where the Disabled Students' officer could only exit off the back of the stage it was always the case that Adam or any other officer could leave or remain at any point. It was in fact officers opposing the occupation wishing to walk off stage who demanded “people let Adam off the stage” and the protestors made it clear to all on the NEC what the intentions of the protest were and that anyone who wanted was welcome to join in or do as they please."...

Where do I start with a response to this paragraph!!

The protest made delegates feel intimidated and panicked - inaccessible - FACT! Delegates could not hear clear instructions from the chair because of the noise protesters were making - inaccessible - FACT!

Members of the NEC asking the protesters to "let Adam off the stage" because the protester were jumping around me and shouting so I could not ask them myself - Inaccessible - FACT!....

What more of a clear argument is needed? Maybe if the NEC in question who conveniently did not turn up to the NEC meeting that followed EC2 were present the argument would have been even clearer.

"It should be clear to all that the protesters would have supported any delegate who wished to take part in the protest regardless of any issues around accessibility.".....

I find this extract very interesting. Does this mean that they would have taken accessibility seriously if delegates agreed with them politically and joined in?! I ask who really is using accessibility to deflect political differences!?... Disappointing.

"Accessible conferences are necessary for all students but Disabled Students in particular. Measures like access-breaks and breaking conference into more manageable chunks should be welcomed by all. The real and present danger however is that the language of accessibility is used as a screen for political attacks and repressing the cut and thrust of political debate needed to give NUS life. More fundamentally the struggle to create a world where disabled liberation and the elimination of discrimination is possible is predicated on building a movement with a higher level of debate than exists in NUS so it can push beyond the limits set by the status quo.".....

Outrageous!!! "Language of accessibility is used as a screen for political attacks and repressing the cut and thrust of political debate" - What on earth!!! Once again this undermines my campaigns work alongside the NEC to make NUS accessible. The fact is the NEC and Disabled Students’ campaign want more students involved in political debate. In order to do this we need to create an accessible and respectful environment, not one where it is "thought" to be acceptable to jump around on stage and make lots of noise to get a point across.

"Both those who voted for the motion at the Disabled Students' Conference and those who would consider voting for something similar should be careful to distinguish between anger/frustration flowing from disagreement and genuine discrimination.".....

Patronising and I think we know what discrimination is.

"If anyone genuinely felt excluded then I apologise and ask you to speak to us about working together in future but for those who wish to silence the radical left I make no such apology."...

An apology is there which I totally respect. The bit about silencing the radical left - get real! Disabled Students and I can debate issues on our own political merit... But now the debate has to be accessible. All I ask is that disabled students and the NEC continue to lead by example and continue to make NUS an accessible organisation regardless of political differences.

I think it is also important to note that it is not just my campaign that has asked for this apology and have taken the stance that the protest at EC2 was inaccessible. At the last NEC meeting everyone in attendance voted to adopt the same stance as the disabled students campaign and the National Secretary was the officer who wrote to NEC member who may have been involved in the protest. Therefore it should not just be in response to my campaign but all of our membership. I state again, NUS is becoming accessible and the NEC are taking leadership.

I hope this gives my membership an update on what I have been mandated to take forward and I would like to thank the majority of the NEC who have supported my campaign.

Adam

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