THE Young Socialists March for Jobs and Free State Education campaigned at Keele University yesterday, where students bought tickets for the Meet the March Rally on November 21 in London and many joined the Young Socialists.
The university students union made the marchers very welcome, providing them with shower facilities and tea and toast at the university chaplaincy.
Keele NUS President Kari Rittoo said: ‘There are 9,000 students here at Keele.
‘We are taking six coaches down to London for Wednesday’s march against tuition fees and now unfortunately we’re having to turn people away because we cannot afford to hire any more coaches.
‘But they are going by car or making their way down in other ways.
‘It’s a long time since students cared so passionately and were so angry.
‘It was bad enough when fees were first brought in and then put up to £3,000.
‘But now putting them up to £9,000 and at the same time making massive cuts, it’s making a whole generation furious.
‘It makes everything so much more stark and visible.
‘People are already struggling terribly and all they can see is things getting worse and worse.
‘Worse for themselves or worse for their younger siblings.
‘I’ve got a young sister and I don’t want her to be put off from going to university or if she goes, I don’t want her to be in debt all her life.
‘In principle, I support the demand that education should be free.
‘I agree that it’s not enough to say freeze fees.
‘I wish the Young Socialists march well.’
Nikki Cooper, Keele NUS vice-president (education and welfare), said: ‘Education should be free at all levels.
‘We’ve got 288 Keele students going down to London on Wednesday.
‘Clearly it’s going to be a massive demonstration.
‘In this area the cut in civil service jobs is really severe.
‘Most industry in this area has closed down now and that’s why the local economy depends so much upon civil service jobs.
‘I always support the unions in taking action and I can see that there’s going to be large actions in the future.’
Janna Burt, a physical geography and applied environmental science student, said: ‘We’re doing a politics module this year and it’s really interesting to see how the effects that capitalism is having on us.
‘Fees must be abolished. I don’t see why people should have to pay back loads of money after they’ve graduated, especially since there is no guarantee of a job any more.’
Astro-physics and philosophy student, George Garner, said: ‘I wish I could go on the students’ march, but they’ve got no more places.
‘This Tory government is rubbish. I think we need a revolution.’
His friend, psychology and criminology student, John Goodall, said: ‘Raising tuition fees is just a way of raising more money from poor people.
‘I would be in favour of dumping fees altogether.
‘I agree with the call that you’re making – kick the government out.’