Well I have never written a blog before and I have to say I don’t think I’ll be a natural at it. I have just spent ages trying to think how I should start! Well I figured a good place to start would to introduce myself, my politics, values, and why I’m here. I have been on the NEC for a month but since the moment I handed in my nomination form I soon realised that people were trying to suss me out or were making assumptions about me. Being an elected representative I should be held to account and you should be aware of what I stand for. But let it be based on fact not rumour. So here it is, a bit of my story, why I got involved –

I can remember the exact moment when my view on politics changed and I realised that decisions made by a powerful few affected so many and I was no exception. I was 12 years old. My Mum and Dad divorced, it was messy. They fought through the courts and social services over custody over my two younger brothers and I.

We all lived with our Dad at first but I fell ill, so I went to live with my mum who was a nurse, however the courts decided that my Dad and brothers should stay in the family home. To cut a long story short, me and my mum were homeless. After failing to get any kind of support from the council, we went to see our Tory MP.

Even though I was 12, the same emotions I had then stir up inside me when I think about it now. Mum took me along because I was ill and hopefully our MP would see how urgently we needed help. He told my Mum, she had a husband and a home and she should go back to it. I remember my mum trying to make him understand that was not an option and being ignored.

We left his office after just 5 minutes, I’m sure he was very busy. I was angry, upset and humiliated, and as we left he told me to be a ‘good little girl’. His actions or rather lack of actions changed my family’s life and mine - lets just say life wasn’t a bed of roses the years following that meeting.

I got to Uni nonetheless, I struggled through. Through my course (Graphic Art and Design) I used art to campaign on issues I felt were being swept under the carpet. The exploits of multinationals, homelessness, child poverty and giving young people a voice through animation were a few areas I focused my work.

I got involved in my Students’ Union by accident. As I have arthritis in my knees I couldn’t get involved in a sports team, which meant I couldn’t really get involved in my union at all in my first year. In my final year I saw the bye-election notice for my post VP Education and Campaigns, and saw the opportunity to actually do something and change things.

I’m proud of my Students’ Union. I worked with an amazing exec and Leeds Met SU is well on its way to becoming a campaigning, inclusive, truly representative and democratic Students’ Union. Watch this space because we are going to hear a lot more from Leeds Met Students.

Through getting involved in my Students’ Union I got the chance to campaign for things to change nationally, through getting involved in NUS. And here I am today. So thank you conservative MP for taking 5 minutes in 1994 to see my mum and me and not listen to us. You made me more determined then ever to stand up, be listened to and not just accept the way things are.

I look forward to the year ahead but I would be lying if I said the shear scale of things didn’t daunt me. Which is why NUS is an organisation of its members; driven by so many dedicated and passionate people we are sure to make a difference. And as I look back at how those small actions taken by one MP had such a huge impact on my family, I know that through collectivism many will feel the impact of our positive actions.

Yours in Unity

Louise

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