You think about this moment for years, and when it comes down to writing it you don’t know what to say. I’ve never been very good at thinking on my feet, so try to write down as much as possible but there are some things, and some people, who I still don’t know what to say about them!

This is where it all comes to an end. A journey which began listening to the election results on student radio in 2004, and ends here, the last ever National Treasurer.

When I listened to the election results of, who turned out to be my predecessor in 2004, I wondered what it would be like to stand in front of people, for them to judge me, for my peers to say I was the best. Five years on, and four successful election campaigns later, I feel people more than ever can judge me for who I am, and what I can do, what I achieve.

My life to today has been great. I’m not going to pretend I’ve had it hard, or I’ve faced real challenges, I haven’t. Parents who supported me all the way, relationships which tested my priorities, and things I have done so few others are able to do.

And its back to the start I want to go. Not to the summer of love in 1983 when I was conceived, but to the age of 4, when my Mum and Dad, got me into Lakeside Primary School. Not my local Primary, not the next closet either, not the next after that, but the one which gave its pupils at the age of 11 access to a High School which, at the age of 18, the majority of students went into Higher Education, greater social mobility, into managerial roles, ensuring my opportunities to succeed would be considerable.

And the path I was set on at the age of 4 will determine how I live the rest of my life.

That’s scary. And when I have children, (if I don’t have them already, only joking mum, you’re too young to be a gran) I don’t think I want that responsibility. Why at the age of 4 should the choices people make determine how your life might end up?

I want an education system, I want a society, that says we have a responsibility to you. Everyone should have that opportunity to succeed, to achieve their potential. Now, call me a dreamer (as Bubble unveiled about himself yesterday) but that’s the sort of stuff we should actually be discussing at Annual Conference. As Aaron said yesterday “not having an imaginary debate about free education”, because for too many, it is too late.

Now, I believe that only the Labour party has the values and the aspirations to change this.

I dream of an end to school selection based on who you are or where you live, and where every child is individually supported to achieve their potential, because there are people out there, who don’t know what a students’ union is, let alone liberation campaigns or zone conferences. These are people who could have made the journey I have done today, to where I am today, but never have the opportunity to do so.

The people who I have met, the stories that I hear about the power of education are incredible. I take it for granted I was going into Higher Education, that much was clear, what to do? What I was good at – History. What to do when I was there? Expose myself to some amazing people. What to do when I finish? I’ll work that out when I get there.

Getting there wasn’t as easy as I thought. Not barriers to education, but my own laziness. Getting full marks at AS History, but Mum having to go in the next day to explain why I don’t go to lessons. Explaining myself to the Head for my casual attire. Playing football in the Common Room whilst not doing any work.

I was never going to be the most academically gifted student, I got one first in three years for a piece of work which didn’t even count. What I quickly realised is that so many never get to be sat in the library, analysing a history of the Welsh Labour Party. I was lucky, and I’ve always recognised that.

Lucky because everything was stacked in my favour. Did you know that black students at Reading, in the NSS, rate their course worse than their white colleagues? Probably not, fairly specific local example. Their widening participation statistics were rubbish, but I appeared to have a favourable postcode.

Reading University Students' Union

But what Reading really did show me is that eventually I would be found out, it was only for so long that I could get away with doing literally no work, and put in no effort.

Reading University, the Students’ Union, the community we had was incredible. It was exactly everything I thought universities should be about. But there are two things which defined me at Reading, becoming President and losing my best friend.

There are some people who never get to realise their potential, not because they were lazy like me, but because their life is cut short. They are the friends who push me, want me to succeed, and yet expect nothing in return. They are people who text you and don’t care if you forget to reply, will ring you up just for a chat. Andrew Tucker will always be my best mate. I would have literally have done anything for this guy, he was the perfect best friend, I’ve never met anyone like him, I respected him, looked up to him and we would do anything for each other. There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think about him or what happened. Saw him on the Thursday, had his accident on the Saturday, Cardiff won promotion on Sunday, he passed away on the Tuesday and his Mum asked me to organise pall bearers for the funeral a week later. He could have achieved anything. Losing your best friend at the age of 19 is harrowing, you think you have the whole world in front of you, but I was lost, alone and with nowhere to go.

The people who were there for me, as always were my parents. Thank you for coming today, it means so much to me. If there is one thing I have always set out to do was to make you proud, proud of what I have done, proud of what you have done for me, and proud to be called my parents. Words will never do this justice, but you mean everything to me. And in Jonathan and me, have two sons who do love you, but don’t always say it.

There is a photo on my window sill in my bedroom, a photo I look at every day, which reminds me to “say what I think today, because I might not get the opportunity tomorrow.”

Being elected President was immense. Holly, my successful Campaign Manger two years in a row, was a hero. She worked hour after hour to see me elected, she rocked Campus those weeks, and I can put so much of my success down to her.

If truth be told I didn’t really understand what I was standing for, what I’d be able to do, why it even existed. All I knew was that it was failing me. It claimed to speak on my behalf, spend £3mil on a load of things I never used and had no impact on my degree. I was not involved in anything, literally nothing, not a member of any society, sports club and did no volunteering through the students’ union. All it meant to me was £1.60 for a Snakey-B on a Wednesday and some crap freshers fair at the start of the year.

It was during my election I discovered the student newspaper, an advice centre, a nursery, and an organisation which had the potential to make a real difference to, not just my life, but my peers.

Winning that election was incredible. My eyes were opened, an exciting tingling was happening, perhaps getting involved means new students will get things that I wanted. But surely if we get people involved from day one, we can actually do more things together?

As a team, we changed the Union. I thought for the better, some late night withheld phone calls disagreed with my analysis, but the Union was unrecognisable both in physical space and cultural ethos from the day I started until the day I finished. Andrew, Mike, Jenna and Sam played their part over the two years, mostly entertaining, sometimes condescending, some days even working longer hours than me, but let me tell you about my other Sabbs, Nick, Emily & Ryan.

Nick Smith was without doubt, the hardest working, most committed, most talented student officer that I saw in any students’ union I visited. We were lucky with Nick, we have captured his talent as a staff member, but too many slip through our fingers.

I think I have only ever met three women who have firmly put me back in my place. One has been my co-convenor this year for Society & Citizenship who is just relentless, one has been my flatmate for the last two years, and the other is Emily Beardsmore. A fantastic Sabb, someone I was delighted to help facilitate her victory to become the Chair of BYC, a real champion of getting people involved, someone who always puts others first.

Ryan Bird, unbelievable man, was the best VP Education I could have hoped for. After a year of being kept arms length from University academia, Ryan ignited my excitement about the academic side of the university, and what a legend to organise a campaign against the University on course closures, fees whilst taking 4 coaches to the National Demo.

We were a good Sabb team, focused on what the Union needed to achieve, what the University had to change, and aware of our limitations. But I know I speak for Sabb teams before and after ours, Ben Elger, General Manager and then Chief Executive, made Reading University Students’ Union what it was.

I’m in awe of Ben even today. I don’t think I can explain how much I admire, respect and look up to him. His legacy can be seen in the Sabb teams even today. Ben brought the Union from bankruptcy in the mid 1990s, to it being at the heart of student life at Reading, and where Sabb teams were supported and inspired to change the University.

For me, Ben could not have been better. As COO of the OIA, Ben will firmly put students’ unions right at centre of student support, but as the years go on, new people come through, and 15 years on from where he would have addressed us as National Secretary, fitting to recognise the incredible influence and achievements he had.

It's my interactions with Ben I miss most from my time at Reading. Two years as President was more than enough, and we achieved all we could in that time frame, but Ben was pushing me, always giving more questions than answers.

The staff in the student movement have a significant impact on the success of student officers and the direction of students’ unions. People are in cloud cookoo land if they think good students’ unions can make a difference without staff. I’ve never liked the mantra, “run by students, for students” That’s great, but what are you actually achieving?

Working with NUS staff has changed how I view organisations. The biggest differences, for me, between a students’ union and NUS was time and scale. Sometimes its impossible to get things done.

NUS has changed for the better over the last two years. Without a doubt. Action was taken to address issues which the NEC and membership ignored for years and years. Its been exciting to go on a journey which goes from a poor organisation with few outcomes, to a better organisation focused on outcomes, but there is so much more to do. I’ve learnt so much from you Matt, and no doubt you have learnt so much from me.

When those around you believe that you can succeed, that you can make a real difference, we can. The Directors that I have worked with, Tim, Karen, Phillip, Emma and Jim are able to make things happen. Thank you for making my life easier.

To all other NUS Staff, there are so many of you to think, and you’ll all get your opportunity when I leave NUS HQ!

When elected I took a very active decision to break with the traditional culture of National Treasurers, physically moving away from Finance, yet I still sneak back over.

The staff at NUS Services deserve my thanks too, particularly Ian, Brenda & Sue who have such a zeal for volunteer involvement, its what makes the Company great. But they’ll get to hear more from me next week.

What I cant say

Being on the NEC is a huge frustration, more than I thought it would be. People judging every word, judging every action. Not something I’ve felt comfortable with. But I hope I’ve been consistent, holding the same views, delivering on the expectations that you have of me.

Over the last four years in NUS, as someone who doesn’t define into any liberation campaign, and sometimes is kept at arms length from them (mainly for my own safety!) I think I have seen them at their best and at their worst. I do genuinely care about liberation, not because its politically expedient, but because these officers are able to engage students I would never be able to. I have a responsibility to break down barriers in society, and they will help me.

Sometimes people say the organisation needs to care more about liberation. And that really frustrates me. I will leave NUS with absolute conviction that I have done everything that I could as part of the NEC and SMT, to give liberation campaigns what they needed to succeed. Yes I ensured more money went towards liberation campaigns during my two years as National Treasurer than any of my predecessors, and I have budgeted for at least the same again, when the rest of the organisation must cut back. This was probably the hardest bit to right, the bit I spent most time considering, so I want to be clear. Whoever you are do not be afraid to challenge people when it comes to equality, do not be afraid to challenge people when it comes to diversity, do not be afraid to challenge people when it comes to liberation. Respect autonomy, respect safe space, and no-one should vilify you, but if they do, remember this, these words mean different things to different people, and we should be having a continued debate about what they mean in a modern, reasonable society.

Internally, we talk about a new culture for NUS, a new type of student movement. When you sit down and think “I’ve got £100 to spend, what can we spend it on” we usually think how many badges can we get for that, how many posters, how many balloons, how many flyers, how many students’ unions can we visit, how many, how many, how many. Because a prevailing culture exists which says that’s what the membership want to see, that’s how we can measure success, and this is my challenge to you, remind him (point at Wes) day in day out, that’s not the campaigning you want to see.

The discussions that Wes, Bubble and Ed will lead for NUS Services going forward need to recognise this. All students’ unions should be good at representation, campaigning and making a real difference to the lives of students, and the majority of their resources and management time needs to go towards supporting this. Too many are too focused on subsidising and propping up their rubbish commercial services; these unions are holding you back.

We, you, have an opportunity with Wes as National President to make the role a campaigning role. This is an opportunity that we, you, must seize. This is your chance to make NUS focused on delivering.

That’s not an easy task because the national union doesn’t perform like that yet, and too few students’ unions are like that either.

Facts

As ever, leaving speeches allow us to put the facts straight on our actual views on party affiliations on manifestos, people operating in shadowy factions, so in big bold letters, these are mine.

I’m a member of the Labour Party, not something I hide, but not something I actively talk about. My membership does not motivate me to think in a particular way on the NEC, I never used it to get elected, but its always been there if people wanted to find out about it.

There are factions within society, within political parties, within students’ unions, and they have an important role within NUS. Sometimes helpful, sometimes not. Progressive groups of students with similar politics, with a shared vision, coming together within NUS should be a good thing.

Yes I worked closely with Bubble and Beth to get elected, but we have differing politics and very different approaches. I don’t seek a description, but believe that good people should support each other to get elected.

I owe a great deal to Ellie Russell and Veronica King. Not only did they encourage me to run, they believed in me, believed I could achieve, that I could make a difference, that I could do things they weren’t able to. They were people that I looked up to, was inspired by, and made a difference. I hope that I’ve never let them down.

To Labour Students. You’re unwavering passion is incredible, you truly have a positive impact on the National Union. Do not allow anyone else to say something different. Sarah has been a pleasure to work with this year, showing that not only within the Party do NOLSies do their own thing, they do the right thing. Thank you for your support today, and to Kenny and Ciaran before you.

To the Indy Right. What a bunch! I do love the OIs really. The pillow fights do sound fun, but I do know that you work hard for the benefit of people around you.

To UJS. Jewish students, Jewish activists should know this, Yair today, Mitch before him, everyone that has worked with them, are relentless in the pursuit of a better deal for you. Thank you for your support.

To the SWP. Are you mugging me off? Jog on.

To Socialist Action/Student Board Left. What a bunch of opportunistic tricksters.

And onto some of the people who have made the last two years in NUS amazing.

Gemma

It aint easy being the National President, particularly when there are so many haters out there. I supported Gemma when she was first elected, a fact she always disputes with me, and supported her throughout because she was one of us. An officer who worked hard, not for recognition, but because that’s the right thing to do.

Stephen Brown

The real Stephen Brown. Absolute hero. There are some people who, when you are around them, you get really excited about what we can achieve. Exceptionally talented, forward thinking and practical. He made me laugh more than anyone last year, and I have such huge admiration and respect for him. Legend.

Richard Budden

Bubble. An incredible campaigner, and although doesn’t always seek recognition, is incredibly popular amongst officers. He has a vision and an approach which I find challenging and different from mine, but no-one can question his able to influence and win at different things than the rest of us.

Ama Uzowuru

We’ve had our ups and downs haven’t we? (She heckled me here and agreed!) But at least you are relentless, we absolutely refuse to give into each other, but her passion and determination to do what is right, has challenged me more than I will admit.

Aaron Porter

Potter. Such a nice guy, interested in things I could not care less about, but consistently delivers and has made the national union stronger. I've known Aaron for two years, and remember how he changed the officer roles to become the de facto President or Premier Representative. Quality and Burgess mean so little to me, but still wants to campaign on the issues which you feel passionate about.

Katie Curtis

KC, to think three years ago we met and you were an independent! A proven record of fighting what she believes, and doesn’t give me an inch, because I would take a mile. I’ll be going to the East of England over the next couple of months to help send her to Brussels as an MEP, and hope you’ll all come too!

David Austin

Ahh! The student movement brings people together, and David has helped me through a lot of shit. I know we’ll be friends for a long long time. Such a legend, its been great to have him as Assistant Company Chair. Assistant to the Company Chair.

Susan Nash

I am so happy you got elected you would not believe. To think the sorts of conversations I remember having with you in early July with Wes about Society & Citizenship, and to where we are today. People know I didn’t get involved in students’ unions for all this soc & cit stuff, but so many of our members do, and Susan is the best person in the movement to take us forward.

My only regret is not being able to present a budget which includes dedicated staff support to you. I hope your colleagues next year will be supportive to change how we work to reflect that, as I know they will be.

For other colleagues who I owe so much, Ed Marsh your support and political ability will take you far, an incredible officer to have the opportunity to work alongside. Tom Stubbs, your cider and weird behaviour, was amusing, but I don’t think being Cornish is an excuse! Maybe your Lib Dem politics explains it! Adam Hyland, a sense of humour which is wasted on someone who isn’t in NUS HQ every day to keep us entertained. Ben Whittaker, you will be an amazing VP Welfare, focused on delivering what needs to be done, and saying loud and clear, sometimes we will cant achieve things in the electoral cycle and you need to recognise that.

Shane Chowen, it was a pleasure to vote for you yesterday, and you will be an amazing VP Further Education. Its fantastic to support someone that good to be elected to the NEC.

And thank you to every delegate, every student that ever voted for me and believed in what I stood for.

Beth & Wes

And finally to Beth & Wes.

I didn’t write anything down about you two, so here goes.

I spoke about Beth and Wes without notes here, but a quick summary would be:

Beth, you are like my sister. A relationship which can swing from love to hate in the matter of a few hours.

But what you have achieved over the last two years is incredible. It has literally blown me away, and you have done things I would not be able to do.

It's not easy living with a colleague, never out of each other’s pockets, travelling together, eating together, and sometimes it does take its toll, but it does mean I have seen from first thing in the morning, to last thing at night, your commitment to Further Education.

Wes, an incredible President, amazing to work alongside you, relentless in your pursuit what is right for students’ unions.

When people criticise you for your links to the Labour Party, I get frustrated, frustrated that these people don’t understand you at all. Don’t see your determination to do what is right for students and students’ unions.

Wes is someone that only comes along once in a generation, the sort of President that everyone needs to believe in, supporting his agenda.Not only has he changed NUS, he will change society. We can only dream of some of the things he will do, what he can achieve, and I’ve been proud to be part of your team.

The end

My proudest moment over the last two years. Reform. Sat there last night voting for the external trustees was fantastic, and I still find it absolutely shocking there are those on Conference floor who would not support the first black, female, trade union leader. As if!

What will I do next? Don’t know.

I stand here with huge admiration and thanks. The last two years haven’t been about me, but about the people who never get this opportunity.

A philosopher once wrote you need three things in life to have a good life. One, a meaningful relationship, two a decent job of work, and three to make a difference. And it was always that third that stressed me out, to make a difference. And I realise I do. Every day, we all do, its how we interact with each other, that is what we are about, its what sets all of you apart.

Thank you for changing my life, I will always be in your debt.

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