This Sussex presidential candidate is fighting for cheaper chips and cheaper pints. And that’s it.

Joy. The Sussex Students’ Union elections are upon us and with that, expect to be harassed in the library square as a pseudo-picket line of desperate students attempts to further their humanitarian careers through public campaigning and turning the SU into their political playpen.

But while most candidates promise to put students first whilst simultaneously forcing their ideology on the masses who really don’t give a shit about student politics, one candidate has had enough and will be attempting to address issues that actually affect students.

Enter, Jon Munro.

Fed up with student politics, Mr. Munro wants to focus on issues that will get the mass population of Sussex University engaged in the affairs of the SU without being alienated. Jon wants to shake things up by focusing on two things that are close to every student’s heart. Chips, and pints, and making them cheaper.

Jon’s manifesto reads:

-Reduce the price of chips and fries in every SU establishment.
-Lower the cost of beers and ciders sold in measurements of 568ml in all bars controlled by the SU

That is quite literally it. Jon’s manifesto may lack the flowery political rhetoric that other students have used but it’s punchy and to the point.

Jon’s manifesto on the Students’ Union page

Last year saw the lowest turnout in student elections for five years – with only 17.1 per cent of students casting a vote – and with a generally poor turnout in elections, Jon wants to shake things up by focusing on two things only to get students engaged and to highlight the farce that student politics really is.

Jon told The Tab Sussex :

“The usual candidates for the president of the SU are hoping to kickstart their political careers by adopting a number of over ambitious and extravagant policies that’ll never happen, even if they did they would have little to no effect on actual students.

“Everyone eats chips and everyone drinks pints, it just seems to make sense”

This third-year music tech student has been involved as an exec member for on-campus student radio station, URF, since he has been at Sussex. During this time, Jon managed to win commendations for his show and helped URF win highly commended for the most improved station at the national Student Radio Awards.

There is, however, a serious message behind Jon’s campaign.

Jon felt that Students’ Unions tend to be overly politicised which turns off the people it is supposed to represent. Many candidates go into the SU already with a political standpoint which turns the union into an institution that serves only the set followers of this creed. There is no incentive to engage with the SU as it seems as if their mind is already made up by a small handful.

“The union should be about all students,” Jon tells The Tab Sussex, “Students’ Unions should acknowledge the difference of opinions that they serve and should not take sides in debates. They should be neutral as much as they possibly can and never have an agenda.”

Munro continues by saying that students can already campaign, share views and opinions, and engage in debate outside of the SU so the main function of the SU should look at issues that really affect students which haven’t been addressed.

Jon urges students to vote for him if they really want to see change and to highlight the idiocy of student politics that, let’s be honest, none of us give a fuck about.

You can check out Jon’s Facebook page here.