Political Independence

DSU Believes

1. That the student movement, under increasing attack from the Government, now faces a major internal crisis.
2. 1. That NUS's claim to being the voice of student opinion is being increasingly marginalised.
   2. That the gap between the membership and the NUS Conference is now a deep gulf.
3. The marginilisation of NUS will be hastened if we continue to adopt activities which are reminiscent of the 1960s as a matter of course in campaigning.
4. The involvement of the membership in active decision-making is a crucial part of any solution to the crisis facing NUS.
5. The present situation where Further Education colleges do not need to elect their delegates to NUS Conference by cross campus ballots is unsatisfactory as it does not encourage full participation of the membership of student unions.

DSU Further Believes

1. The independence of NUS from any political party must be maintained if it is to continue to act as a national voice of students.
2. The influence and independence of NUS will be enhanced once there is involvement of people of all political persuasions at all levels in the student movement.
3. The motion passed at NUS Winter Conference 1986 calling for NUS to work with "The TUC and Labour Movement" and "Labour Councils etc" breaks the spirit of the constitution of NUS and discredits its commitment to maintaining independence.

DSU Instructs

1. The Executive to publicly declare that they and DSU as a whole are independent of any one political party.
2. The President to write to the President of NUS enclosing a copy of this motion and request that the President of NUS declares publicly the National Union's independence of any one political party.
3. Delegates to Conference to actively work against the domination of NUS by any one particular faction and to vote accordingly.

DSU Allows

1. This motion, suitably modified, to be sent as an amendment or emergency motion to the coming Easter Conference.

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