Colin Fox: Sleepover in St Andrews

“I’m going to sleepover in Fife Park on Thursday night!”

The stand catches up with Colin Fox – a candidate in this week’s Rectorial elections.

Colin has been politically active his whole life. He’s a champion of social justice, has protested against cuts to education and pursued a successful abolition of prescription charges in Scotland. He is the current spokesman for the Scottish Socialist Party and the former MSP for Lothian. He’s a big personality in Scottish politics and certainly prepared to rattle some cages. Colin came second to Kevin Dunion last time around – so why should students vote for him now?

“The climate is different now – last October, everything changed. £9,000 fees for RUK students is an affront to education. Right now, the students of St Andrews have a historic opportunity. The SRC pointed out to me that a St Andrews education is more expensive than any other in Britain, taking into account fees and the cost of living. Electing me as your rector will show the University Court and the wider community that educational injustice has to stop.”

The recent figures of sharp declines in University applications to Scottish universities worry Colin, whose campaign slogan is, ‘Education is a right, not a privilege.’ He is eager to show that University should be widened to everyone and that part of the University experience is, indeed, the opportunity to meet people from all different backgrounds.

Colin is not new in his attempts to implement such changes and has the momentum to see an idea through, having put forward the bill for the abolishment of prescription charges in Scotland. His plans for change, were he elected, extend to housing too.

“Accommodation was an issue when I stood for Rector previously. It’s expensive, whether in halls or in town. The issue of the HMO cap and its consequences must be addressed. Concerns should be lifted off the shoulders of students and they should have the right to concentrate on their degree, not worrying about where they’re going to live or their next shift at McDonald’s.”

Colin’s agenda also features some unique points regarding ethical and sustainable investment which he sees as critical to the development of the University.

“My main points are fees, accommodation and also sustainability. I fully support the University’s plan to invest in the wind farm at Kenley. It sets a precedent and I’d want to work with the University Court to develop it further. I know local people have issues with it and I believe that the first people who should benefit are those nearest, so I would aim to work with residents. The ethical investment programme is also at the forefront in Britain, in using endowment money to invest in projects that do good elsewhere. It’s not just about maximising profit, but also about doing ethical investment.”

As the stand prepared for the interview, we walked through the entrance of St Mary’s Quad to interview Colin, passing a man of his description handing out campaign flyers at the entrance to St Mary’s. The stand asked, “Excuse me, we’re conducting an interview with Colin Fox, do you know where we might find him?” It turned out that it was Colin himself. If he were elected, don’t expect this hands-on approach and enthusiasm to dwindle. He proposes weekly surgeries and online, regularly-published reports so the student body is always aware of what he’s doing and he can always be held accountable.

On Thursday night Colin will be staying in Fife Park – he did the same thing three years ago when he slept on Patrick O’Hare’s floor, his then-campaign manager. And if that’s not dedication, what is?

For more information on Colin’s campaign and his events this week, visit his website.

Interviewed by Lizzie Stone and Alexandra Holroyd, understand writer and understand Editor