Editorial: Why Leeds Student needs to stay

LUU’s failure to cover printing costs by £5,200 has meant no more print editions for Leeds Student.

The recent announcement that LS will no longer be able to print is a travesty which has rightly been met with negative reactions from students, societies and alumni.

Some of these alumni, such as writer and broadcaster Jay Rayner, were given their first taste of journalism by Leeds Student. The incredible careers they have gone on to lead is a testament to a much loved and well respected paper.

The free newspaper, written by students, for students, has proven for years that it is a weekly staple of university life.

Not only has LS won awards in the past, but like The Tab it allows students to hone their writing skills and gain invaluable experience in the journalism sector.

Even for those not looking for a career in writing, Leeds Student remains  an important weekly read for keeping students up to date with local news and publicising important events.

If you believe Leeds Student needs to stay in print, sign this petition.

The petition has gained 700+ signatures in a matter of hours

Despite its popularity, for a figure that is a drop in the ocean compared to the Union’s budget as a whole, the paper will cease to be printed.

Why should it be the students who suffer from an inability to manage funds? A deficit of a few thousand pounds should not rob the student population of their voice.

This would not be such a distressing issue if the Union hadn’t recently spent thousands bribing voters to vote in the elections of the past week.

A better use of resources than printing a newspaper?

The Union’s desperation to reach 10,000 voters has led it to launching bizarre and costly competitions to achieve its aims.

Its giving away of free lunches and summer ball tickets to the best selfie by the leadership race billboard is just one example of a ridiculous prioritisation of resources.

It therefore seems thoroughly unjust that the Union can afford to prop up some policies and not others, especially without consulting the student body as to any of these decisions.

And so, a competitor to The Tab it may be, but Leeds Student deserves to stay in all its printed glory.