President of the National Union of Students Aaron Porter has to rise in anyone's estimation for apologising for tardy support for student occupations against fees and cuts and pledging more forthright support in future (http://m.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/nov/28/student-leader-apologises-over-dithering?cat=education&type=article).
The particular pressure on Lib Dem MPs who made a clear and unequivocal pledge combines with the Parliamentary arithmetic to create the possibility of a significant defeat for the Coalition. Unity in the campaign to impose this pressure is important since it is unity in favour of urgent action.
A united student movement is in a better position swiftly to mobilise its faster moving forces en masse than is the TUC. However the trade unions can and must turn supportive words (http://www.unison.org.uk/news/news_view.asp?did=6426) into deeds.
I hope that now there is no question that the NUS is supporting all nonviolent action the unions at every level will encourage our members to support the students in every way possible.
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Students in London universities asked Porter for legal assistance in fighting court notices. Porter responded that he didn't mean _that_ type of legal support.
He does not represent the students taking action; jumping on the bandwagon just doesn't work when it's already left you behind.
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