The Students’ Guild announced last night that a referendum will be held to decide whether they should remain affiliated with the National Union of Students.
Student campaigner registration will be open from Monday 13 May to Thursday 16 May, with voting open from Tuesday 28 May to Thursday 30 May.
The announcement comes only three years after the Guild’s last referendum on the same question, in May 2016. A previous referendum on the issue was held less than 18 months before that. The last campaign was marked by reports of harassment and intimidation by campaigners, with the remain camp winning by a margin of just 144.
The NUS aims to provide a collective voice for students in the UK and currently accounts for more than 95% of students’ unions in the UK.
Students are expressing concern that the referendum is being held during exam season, making it more difficult for all students to get fully involved.
Sabbatical officers have yet to declare their positions on the referendum. More updates as they come.
