MMUnion Goes Governance

MMUnion's sovereign body, Student Council, unanimously voted on Tuesday to accept the proposals of the union's governance review.

In the two and a half hour meeting, proposals for amendments were also voted on, including to include a no platform policy banning people holding fascist or racist views from standing for election, or speak at meetings of the union.

The new constitution has to be agreed by the university's Board of Governors in October before it is able to be put into operation, however if they do pass the proposals then Tuesday's meeting of Student Council will have been the last ever at MMUnion.

The members of Student Council (including myself) who haven't got a position in the union in the next academic year, and who will still be students of the university, can remain active in the union by participating in the Student Forums and sub-groups created by the new structure, as can every other student in the university.

What a momentous occasion and I was proud to be in the chair of the meeting that it happened.

JR

Bye By-Election

Oh dear!

It was widely expected that the Conservatives would win the Crewe & Nantwich by-election last week, but few were predicting that the 7,078 vote majority would be reversed, and indeed extended.

I don't think Labour can recover from here. I don't think Gordon Brown can recover from here. Suddenly the question isn't if the Tories can win the next general election, but by how much!

Election in 2010 anyone?

JR

It's Just Not Cricket

I'm sure that most of you know that Cricket is a game for gentlemen, but you would have been shocked if you were in Alsager today for the match between MMU (Manchester) and MMU Cheshire.

I would firstly like to point out that the behaviour of 21 of the players on the field was absolutely fine. Sure there was some banter, but nothing out of the ordinary. However, the captain of MMU Cheshire (Captain Jack) was unbelievably rude and obnoxious. He routinely swore at and sledged the batsmen while at the crease.

I was umpiring at square leg (well, point really) when I hear a tonne of swear words directed at the batsman on strike from Captain Jack, who was fielding at short cover. I approached him and informed him that if I heard any more swearing at the batsman then he'd be on report, to which he responded with, "Go on then, f***ing report me then."

I will be reporting the matter to the team executive and hopefully they will take action.

JR

Boris Wins, Brown Loses

Boris Johnson has won the race to be Mayor of London with 1,168,738 total votes. Just under 140,000 more than that of the incumbent, Ken Livingstone.

But the real loser in the May Day polls was Gordon Brown. His Labour Party was beaten into third place in a projected national share of the vote, from the English and Welsh local elections. The Conservative Party picked up (a projected) 44% of the vote, 20 points ahead of the governing party.

It has been reported on the BBC, and elsewhere, that Brown was comparing himself to John Major, in Major's local election losses in 1991 and coming back to retain a majority in the 1992 general election. However these results look more like the 1995 local election results for Major, just two years before Labour took a landslide majority in Westminster.

There could be more embarrassment for Brown before the month is out, with the by-election for Crewe and Nantwich being held on 22 May. It is very possible for the Tories to win this seat as they require a swing of just 6%. We'll obviously have to wait and see what happens in the vote.

JR

Polling Day

I know I'm not the BBC, but I shall endeavour not to break the rules on reporting on election day.

I'm going to my local polling station in Withington ward to cast my vote. The weather is sunny with a few showers. Polls are open until 2200 BST. The results will be announced overnight, except for Wales and London which will be announced later on Friday.

Laters!

JR