► P.I.E.C.E. Campaign

P.I.E.C.E. CAMPAIGN:               

  i. Voter Registration; ii. Student Empowerment Package; iii. Hustings event

 

This Union Notes:

1.        That there will be a General Election before 2006

2.        That in line with the principles of the P.I.E.C.E. campaign, the 3 elements listed above are relevant to London students and are areas in which ULU can have a beneficial effect on students’ lives and involvement with democracy in London and the UK

3.        That Last year ULU ran a highly successful voter registration campaign named ‘London Calling’

4.        That the ‘London Calling’ campaign was awarded a prize by the GLA for its quality and success in the Academic Year 2003-4 and it makes sense that ULU should build on that success.

5.        That  the historically low turnout of the 18-23 age range was significantly higher in London for the 2004 mayoral, local and MEP elections than in recent history

6.        An election in May will mean voters must be registered by the beginning of March and that this gives us a natural deadline for the Voter registration campaign.

7.        That the Student empowerment package will be a resource whereby students can access information on their college and residence MP’s voting records on the issues pertinent to students and contain relevant information on those MP’s – this resource should be available in hard copy, but be based mainly on-line

 

This Union Believes:

1.        That the General Election is likely to take place in May, but that it is possible an earlier date may be called – recent history suggests that it will be called in spring or summer 2005

2.        That the successes and relationships with key external organisations can be built on with this campaign to achieve an even greater success this time around

3.        That the past 2 years (and indeed since the abolition of grants for all in 1999) has seen politics impact very greatly on education and the lives of students and that this campaign is an attempt to empower students in London to vote and make informed decisions influencing future policy of the UK government and issues which affect them

4.        That an education-policy based hustings event with all major political parties in attendance and at least the Education secretary/shadow ministers would be a beacon event for this campaign

 

This Union Resolves:

1.        To attempt to secure ULU as a polling station for the 2005 general election

2.        To produce the on-line Student Voter Empowerment Package

3.        To hold a hustings event close to the election involving all the main political parties and their relevant and most senior spokesperson, primarily on education policy

4.        To roll out a ‘voter registration’ package from January 2005 to give the maximum number of London Students the ability to vote in the General Election 2005

5.        To commission an agreed evaluation process of the success and process of the campaign and issue a report as part of the ULU review to be published at the end of the academic year 2004-5

6.        If the General Election is called earlier than April 2005 or after June 2005 then ULU should attempt to implement these proposals as best it can in the time allowed

 

 

Proposed by: Matt Cooke, ULU President

Seconded by: Rob Park, V-P Finance, Services and Operations