Student politicians don’t have the salary or influence of MPs, but at least we know how to live out our shared values for the common good

The country is in a strange place. The EU referendum has left communities and political parties alike divided. The Labour Party is increasingly fragmented, the Conservatives had a leadership contest which was more divisive than they’d hoped for, and, unarguably, the country is a much less tolerant and welcoming place for many people.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen some of the very worst behaviour in politics and public life; deceit, greed, and the surfacing of a life view which asks how much we can take from everyone else around us while giving the very least in return. What’s particularly annoyed me as all of this has gone on is a number of people have suggested the meltdown of the political establishment in Westminster has, in some way, bore a resemblance to students’ union politics.

They could not be more wrong.

The student movement was borne out of the values of collectivism, solidarity, and mutual cooperation. We exist to promote, extend, and defend the rights of students by building allies and recognising that we have, not just a role, but a responsibility to shape a better, fairer, and more equal world. In Northern Ireland, where I have the absolute privilege of working with students’ unions to represent over 200,000 students in higher and further education, the accusation our political activity is, somehow, petty and selfish could not be more insulting.

Almost 45 years ago, at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the national students’ unions of Britain (NUS UK) and Ireland (USI) came together to establish a cross-border approach to representing students which respected all community backgrounds and identities. By establishing NUS-USI, the student movement set a standard of leadership which was enshrined in a vision for society based on peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, over a decade before the Good Friday Agreement emerged.

Time and time again students and students’ unions take the lead - and our politicians play catch up. NUS UK was the first national body to pass policy on LGBT+ rights in 1973. But the age of consent for homosexual men wasn’t lowered until 1994, and openly gay people were banned from the armed forces until 2000.

Whether its students’ unions becoming hate crime reporting centres, working with their institutions to take a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment, or the work they do to encourage and support thousands of students across the country to volunteer in their local communities, students’ unions have always had a distinctly positive contribution on society.

Perhaps the most pertinent example of all was NUS’s EU referendum campaign. At our National Conference in Brighton, the largest democratic gathering of students in the world, speakers and delegates alike pushed for a Remain vote. Shortly after, 27 former NUS presidents united to write a letter in favour of remaining in the EU.

It was easy for students to recognise the importance of collectivism, both in Europe and within our movement. The Conservative Party and the leaders of our country, however, were plagued by infighting and fearmongering. We may have lost the referendum, but we haven’t lost our dignity.

When things get messy, “student politics” should not be synonymous with pettiness, turmoil, backstabbing, and mudslinging. It’s deeply unfair to the passionate, hard-working students I meet every day. It has never been a valid comparison - and it certainly isn’t now.

As the Brexit fallout continues, I urge the key figures in our mainstream political parties to put the needs of our citizens ahead of their own. Student politicians don’t have the prestige, salary, or influence of MPs, but at least we know how to live out our shared values for the common good.

Fergal McFerran is NUS-USI President