Last year, the membership passed policy that NEC members should include up to 10 links as part of their blogs that best describe their politics and principles. I’ve stuck mine below with an explanation of each link to explain why I support these organisations, not to shove my ideas down your throat… You asked for it! ;-)

1. NUS online and Officer Online – As an NEC member my number one commitment is to our National Union and its 5 million strong membership. NUS’ history has shown it to be capable to making massive changes for its membership and for society, from successfully campaigning against Council Tax on students and bringing the Government within 3 votes of defeat on top-up fees (closer than the war vote!) to helping to bring down apartheid in South Africa and campaigning for human rights at home and abroad.
2. Labour Students (www.labourstudents.org.uk) – Labour Students is an autonomous organisation affiliated to the Labour Party. Labour Students support Labour Clubs across the country, debate and make policy and attempt to influence the direction of the Party as a whole, as well as campaigning for Labour at election time. Labour Students are not afraid to oppose Government policy where we believe it is bad for students however, such as over top-up fees, where Labour Students in NUS led the campaign against the Higher Education Bill and defeated top-up fees for most students from Scotland and Wales.
3. TUC (www.tuc.org.uk), Amicus (www.amicustheunion.org) and NUT (www.nut.org.uk) – Trade unions movements across the world have a strong history of fighting for progressive values, democracy and equality. The Trades Union Congress brings together the UK’s trade unions and runs a series of campaigns, including a joint campaign with NUS on rights at work. I am a member of Amicus the Union and hold the NUT scholarship on the NEC.
4. Amnesty International (www.amnesty.org) – Amnesty International defends human rights and promotes democracy across the world. Amnesty campaigns make a real difference to the lives of political prisoners across the world to free them from torture and execution under brutal regimes. It’s really easy to get involved with Amnesty’s campaigns and something really simple like letter writing can make all the difference.
5. Stonewall (www.stonewall.org.uk) – Campaigning for equality in law and in practice for LGBT people. Whilst there have undoubted been great advances in the law, there are still areas that need to be addressed, such as equality in the provision of goods and services and active steps to tackle homophobic bullying in our schools and colleges.
6. CRE (www.cre.gov.uk)– The Commission for Racial Equality works for a just and integrated society, where diversity is valued and the law ensures that everyone is able to live free from fear, discrimination, prejudice and racism.
7. Make Poverty History (www.makepovertyhistory.org) - Having proposed our policy at Annual Conference last year, this is something close to my heart. The G8 took some great steps, but more needs to be done and the campaign must continue to make poverty history. 8. The Sutton Trust (www.suttontrust.org.uk) and Aim Higher (www.aimhigher.ac.uk) - Both the Sutton Trust and the DFES’ Aim Higher initiative exist to promote access to Higher Education from under-represented and non traditional background. UK Higher Education admissions are still incredibly imbalanced; the Sutton Trust has a range of reports online that examine why this is and like the Aim Higher initiative, promotes a range of programmes and campaigns to encourage applications.
8. Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk) - The Guardian is my favourite daily newspaper. Education Guardian is also an invaluable resource for student officers.
9. TES (www.tes.co.uk) and THES (www.thes.co.uk) - I always read the Times Education Supplement and the Times Higher Education Supplement to keep up with all of the latest news and issues within the education sector. Well worth subscribing to as a union officer.

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