Education Not for Sale
Encyclopedia
Education Not for Sale (ENS) is a radical left-wing student
campaign in the United Kingdom
.
The name originally derives from the "European Education Not for Sale network" and was first used by socialist and other radical activists at the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom conference in April 2005 who wanted to organise a left-wing pole of attraction opposed to both what they saw as the "right-wing" NUS leadership's betrayals on top-up fees, and groups on the left which they felt had betrayed consistent left-wing principles on issues such as both universal human rights and cultural relativism
, and supporting workers and women against both US/UK "imperialism" and Islamist terror in Iraq.
The organisation was formally founded at a conference at the University of East London
in September 2005, and refounded with a substantially more radical and extensive political programme at the Reclaim the Campus conference at Birkbeck, University of London
in May 2008.
Activists are also involved in a variety of left-wing labour movement
-oriented campaigns, such as Students Against Sweatshops/No Sweat and Workers' Climate Action, and claim to support a united left in the British student movement and NUS.
ENS claims to be a successor to the Campaign for Free Education
(CFE), although it involves almost none of the same activists. Like CFE, it has the support of the small Trotskyist group, the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
, and it also involves activists from a variety of other left-wing political backgrounds and organisations, left-wing Labour Party members, independent socialists, members of the Revolution group, members of the Green Party of England and Wales
and a number of student activists from an anarchist background.
ENS has held numerous open steering committees; however, its second conference proper took place in May 2006, at Sussex University. On October 21 2006 its women's section initiated a feminist activist conference, Feminist Fightback, in central London, which was attended by around 220 people. A few days later, ENS supporters at Cambridge University organised the first student occupation in the UK in protest at the introduction of top-up fees, occupying the Sidgwick Site
Lecture Hall for 12 hours. The second Feminist Fightback event, held at the University of East London
in October 2007, attracted 300 activists, and led to the founding of Feminist Fightback as an activist campaign, involving workers and non-student activists as well as ENS Women. A third conference is planned for 14 February 2009, this time involving not only Feminist Fightback, but the anarchist-leaning Feminist Activist Forum, the Left Women's Network (linked to the Labour Representation Committee) and other groups.
One member of ENS, Daniel Randall, was elected to the UK National Union of Students executive committee in 2005, and when he stood down in 2006 was replaced by two ENS members, Sofie Buckland and Joe Rooney. In 2007, Sofie Buckland was returned as a block of twelve member of the NEC, and in 2008 she came within four votes of winning NUS Women's Officer in the second round of voting due to a deal on transferring voted between ENS and Student Broad Left
in a bid to oust Labour Students
from the campaign. After losing her election Buckland successfully stood for Women's Committee.
ENS held their third conference in May 2008 at Birkbeck, University of London
. Held under the banner of 'Reclaim The Campus', the conference attracted around 75 activists, debated a variety of policy, agreed a new "where we stand" statement and elected a new steering committee for the campaign.
ENS has been largely inactive for several years and the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
is instead focussing on operating within the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts. ENS has no members on the NUS executive.
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
campaign in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The name originally derives from the "European Education Not for Sale network" and was first used by socialist and other radical activists at the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom conference in April 2005 who wanted to organise a left-wing pole of attraction opposed to both what they saw as the "right-wing" NUS leadership's betrayals on top-up fees, and groups on the left which they felt had betrayed consistent left-wing principles on issues such as both universal human rights and cultural relativism
Cultural relativism
Cultural relativism is the principle that an individual human's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture. This principle was established as axiomatic in anthropological research by Franz Boas in the first few decades of the 20th century and...
, and supporting workers and women against both US/UK "imperialism" and Islamist terror in Iraq.
The organisation was formally founded at a conference at the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
in September 2005, and refounded with a substantially more radical and extensive political programme at the Reclaim the Campus conference at Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
in May 2008.
Activists are also involved in a variety of left-wing labour movement
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
-oriented campaigns, such as Students Against Sweatshops/No Sweat and Workers' Climate Action, and claim to support a united left in the British student movement and NUS.
ENS claims to be a successor to the Campaign for Free Education
Campaign for Free Education
The Campaign for Free Education was a left-wing grouping in the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom of those opposed to tuition fees and the abolition of student grants....
(CFE), although it involves almost none of the same activists. Like CFE, it has the support of the small Trotskyist group, the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
Alliance for Workers' Liberty
The Alliance for Workers' Liberty , also known as Workers' Liberty, is a Trotskyist group in Britain. The group has a complex history but has always been identified with the theorist Sean Matgamna...
, and it also involves activists from a variety of other left-wing political backgrounds and organisations, left-wing Labour Party members, independent socialists, members of the Revolution group, members of the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
and a number of student activists from an anarchist background.
ENS has held numerous open steering committees; however, its second conference proper took place in May 2006, at Sussex University. On October 21 2006 its women's section initiated a feminist activist conference, Feminist Fightback, in central London, which was attended by around 220 people. A few days later, ENS supporters at Cambridge University organised the first student occupation in the UK in protest at the introduction of top-up fees, occupying the Sidgwick Site
Sidgwick Site
The Sidgwick Site is one of the largest sites within the University of Cambridge, England.- Overview and history :The Sidgwick Site is located on the western edge of Cambridge city centre, north of Sidgwick Avenue and south of West Road, and is home to several of the university's arts and...
Lecture Hall for 12 hours. The second Feminist Fightback event, held at the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
in October 2007, attracted 300 activists, and led to the founding of Feminist Fightback as an activist campaign, involving workers and non-student activists as well as ENS Women. A third conference is planned for 14 February 2009, this time involving not only Feminist Fightback, but the anarchist-leaning Feminist Activist Forum, the Left Women's Network (linked to the Labour Representation Committee) and other groups.
One member of ENS, Daniel Randall, was elected to the UK National Union of Students executive committee in 2005, and when he stood down in 2006 was replaced by two ENS members, Sofie Buckland and Joe Rooney. In 2007, Sofie Buckland was returned as a block of twelve member of the NEC, and in 2008 she came within four votes of winning NUS Women's Officer in the second round of voting due to a deal on transferring voted between ENS and Student Broad Left
Student Broad Left
Student Broad Left is a factional grouping operating within the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom.The group was formed in 1997 as a split from the Campaign for Free Education and first contested NUS elections in 1998...
in a bid to oust Labour Students
Labour Students
Labour Students is a student organisation affiliated to the British Labour Party.Membership comprises affiliated college and university clubs . Membership of Labour Students is through membership of a university or college Labour Club. Affiliation is open to any Labour Club generally supportive of...
from the campaign. After losing her election Buckland successfully stood for Women's Committee.
ENS held their third conference in May 2008 at Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
. Held under the banner of 'Reclaim The Campus', the conference attracted around 75 activists, debated a variety of policy, agreed a new "where we stand" statement and elected a new steering committee for the campaign.
ENS has been largely inactive for several years and the Alliance for Workers' Liberty
Alliance for Workers' Liberty
The Alliance for Workers' Liberty , also known as Workers' Liberty, is a Trotskyist group in Britain. The group has a complex history but has always been identified with the theorist Sean Matgamna...
is instead focussing on operating within the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts. ENS has no members on the NUS executive.