Ben_Norman's diary

The task of a Union has always been to represent, to unite, to stand tall and proud in the name of the membership and in one true voice to hold those in power to account. Portsmouth Students' Union is no exception.

On the second of Febuary I will be taking students to lobby John Denham, the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills at his constituancy office in Bitterne.

We will be meeting up with students from Southampton, Reading, Oxford and Chichester to present Denham with petitions containing thousands of signatures from students calling against spirraling debt, against increased fees and for a fairer education system based on the abillity to learn not the abillity to pay.

Denham will be a key figure in Government when the top-up fees cap is reviewed in 2009. If the cap is lifted institutions such as Portsmouth will be free to charge anything from £3000 to £12,000 extra per year. This will push back equality in the education system back by a hundred years. We are calling for Denham to use his position to influrence the future of education to benefit both the students of today and the students of tomorrow.

Free transportation is provided:

9:30 - 10AM Gunhouse Carpark (Students' Union)

To secure your place contact me at: Ben.norman@port.ac.uk