Gemma Tumelty
Encyclopedia
Gemma Tumelty was the President of the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom (NUS) until 2008. She was the NUS National Secretary for 2005 to 2006, and a member of its National Executive Committee for two years before that.
in Buckinghamshire
. A graduate of Liverpool John Moores University
, she was previously Women's Officer and then Vice President Welfare in Liverpool Students' Union
. At LJMU, she studied Applied Psychology, receiving a 2:1 degree in 2005. She studied one year of sociology previously. She was elected as National Secretary of the NUS in April 2005 at the NUS Conference in Blackpool
.
Tumelty was first elected in March 2006, being the first NUS president from a post 1992 university
. Although she is a member of the Labour Party
she was not a candidate of its student wing, Labour Students
, and ran for President with the description independent
. She is part of the Organised Independents
faction. She beat Pav Akhtar
, the first Muslim
candidate for President of the NUS and another member of the Labour Party who ran as an independent, in the final round. There were five other candidates, including a member of the Education Not for Sale
campaign, candidates from Conservative Future
and Liberal Democrat Youth and Students
, and two more independents.
In 2006, Tumelty led the NUS in signing an accord with the Trades Union Congress
(TUC). Motivated by the increasing number of students who are taking-up employment to fund their education, the agreement will see the NUS and TUC working together to encourage students to join a trade union.
Tumelty was re-elected on 28 March 2007 and served a full term until July 2008 when she was succeeded by Labour Students's Wes Streeting
. Her opponents in 2007 were Sofie Buckland, a member of Education Not for Sale
and an officer on the NUS National Executive, and Rob Owen, a member of RESPECT
and General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students' Union
.
On 11 March 2008 it was reported by the National Student that Tumelty was engaged in 'dirty games', in a deal which would ensure the Organised Independents winning the position of Vice-President Higher Education in return for not fielding a candidate against Labour Students's Wes Streeting.
She wrote a weekly blog for the Education section of The Guardian
. In 2006 she became the first NUS president to address the TUC
Conference.
Gemma Tumelty currently works for the international department of the TUC and is married to Dan Ashley, a senior press official at the University and College Union.
Early life
She comes from Aston ClintonAston Clinton
Aston Clinton is a village and civil parish close to the main A41 road in Buckinghamshire, England between Tring and Aylesbury. The parish covers and is about east of Aylesbury. The village is at the foot of the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills at the junction of the pre-historic track the...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. A graduate of Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
, she was previously Women's Officer and then Vice President Welfare in Liverpool Students' Union
Liverpool Students' Union
The Liverpool Students' Union is the representative body for all students studying at Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, England; and is not to be confused with Liverpool Guild of Students, which is the Student Union for the University of Liverpool; membership is automatic upon...
. At LJMU, she studied Applied Psychology, receiving a 2:1 degree in 2005. She studied one year of sociology previously. She was elected as National Secretary of the NUS in April 2005 at the NUS Conference in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
.
NUS President
New Universities
The term new universities has been used informally to refer to several different waves of new universities created or renamed as such in the United Kingdom. As early as 1928, the term was used to describe the then-new civic universities, such as Bristol University and the other "red brick...
. Although she is a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
she was not a candidate of its student wing, 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...
, and ran for President with the description independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. She is part of the Organised Independents
Organised Independents
The Organised Independents are a grouping within the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom.The group is made up of candidates for National Executive Committee posts, all standing on an "independent" label, and their supporters, and as a result a lot of controversy has raged over whether...
faction. She beat Pav Akhtar
Pav Akhtar
Pav Akhtar is a British Labour Party activist. Among his many and varied jobs he used to work for the trade union UNISON and was councillor for Stockwell in the London Borough of Lambeth. Along with Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, he is one of very few out gay Muslim politicians in the world.Akhtar...
, the first Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
candidate for President of the NUS and another member of the Labour Party who ran as an independent, in the final round. There were five other candidates, including a member of the Education Not for Sale
Education Not for Sale
Education Not for Sale 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...
campaign, candidates from Conservative Future
Conservative Future
Conservative Future, abbreviated to CF, is the youth movement of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom for members aged up to 30 years old.Founded in 1998, Conservative Future is the largest political organisation on British campuses...
and Liberal Democrat Youth and Students
Liberal Democrat Youth and Students
Liberal Youth is the youth and student group of the Liberal Democrats, a political party in the United Kingdom.Liberal Democrat members who are under 26 years old or attending higher education institutions are automatically members of Liberal Youth if they agree to share this information at...
, and two more independents.
In 2006, Tumelty led the NUS in signing an accord with the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC). Motivated by the increasing number of students who are taking-up employment to fund their education, the agreement will see the NUS and TUC working together to encourage students to join a trade union.
Tumelty was re-elected on 28 March 2007 and served a full term until July 2008 when she was succeeded by Labour Students's Wes Streeting
Wes Streeting
Wesley "Wes" Paul William Streeting is Chief Executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, an educational charity that promotes access to higher education to students from further education colleges through bursaries, mentoring and work placements...
. Her opponents in 2007 were Sofie Buckland, a member of Education Not for Sale
Education Not for Sale
Education Not for Sale 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...
and an officer on the NUS National Executive, and Rob Owen, a member of RESPECT
Respect
Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity , and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected...
and General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students' Union
University of Manchester Students' Union
The University of Manchester Students' Union is the representative body of students at the University of Manchester, England, and is the UK's largest students' union...
.
On 11 March 2008 it was reported by the National Student that Tumelty was engaged in 'dirty games', in a deal which would ensure the Organised Independents winning the position of Vice-President Higher Education in return for not fielding a candidate against Labour Students's Wes Streeting.
She wrote a weekly blog for the Education section of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. In 2006 she became the first NUS president to address the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
Conference.
Career
Upon leaving NUS, Tumelty joined Million+, a university think tank representing former polytechnic universities as Press and Public Affairs Manager. She also served as a co-opted member of the management committee of Compass - a centre left pressure group.Gemma Tumelty currently works for the international department of the TUC and is married to Dan Ashley, a senior press official at the University and College Union.
External links
- Bio
- NUS officer's blog
- Guardian blogs
- Debt Divides Prince from Pauper, BBC News, 14 Apr 2005