"No to No-Platform: An Open Letter" – The NO Response

However, we would call for students to vote NO rather than abstain. By abstaining, students are not giving their voice prominence, whilst possibly allowing the Union to become affiliated even if only a small number of students vote yes.

The argument that we should join an organisation in the hope of causing the changes that would make them worth joining at all is an incredibly weak one. Would you join a racist political party with the intention of steering it away from racism? By joining the NUS we become an extremely small voice in a big organisation hell bent on not changing.

By voting No to NUS on the 6th of December, you as a student would show that you are not happy about the practices of the NUS and the actions they commit under the name of student representation, as well as saying that YOU don’t want them to use the name of YOUR union to play politics.

It would allow debate by forcing people both inside and outside the NUS to look properly at why we have voted to remain independent. If the NUS were REALLY committed to Southampton Union affiliating rather than Southampton simply being another name on a long list, they would look to address outdated and misguided policies and move into the modern world where they finally tried to help the student of today rather than adapting policies that went out with the cold war.

We also call for a fair and proper debate, without meddling and confusing behaviour by the elected body of the union who are trying to control the actions of the student press to suit their personal ideals and who have become involved in a campaign far beyond the realms of student interest. Vote NO to NUS and stop the university being forced into a corner. Don’t let us lose our voice.