Manifesto Introduction
If you have read Why I’m Standing, you will know that my argument is simple: NUS must rebuild its democratic foundations.
As NUS England President, my focus will be clear:
Restore democratic authority
Strengthen officers locally, whether their unions are affiliated or not
Rebuild trust in the national student movement through democratic traceability and practical support for elected officers.
First 100 Days: The NUS Democratic Mandate Framework
One of the biggest challenges facing NUS today is uncertainty around how national decisions are made and where authority comes from.
Within the first 100 days of my term, I will introduce the NUS Democratic Mandate Framework: a structure setting out how national positions are formed and how democratic authority flows through the organisation.
This framework will set out:
• what requires Conference approval
• what requires structured consultation with member unions
• what falls within existing policy mandates
• how national decisions are recorded and communicated
If NUS proposes a new major national position that is not already mandated by Conference policy, the framework will require:
• a defined consultation window with member unions
• published submissions to ensure transparency
• a recorded decision explaining the mandate for that position
Clear decision rules strengthen both democratic legitimacy and the confidence of officers representing their students.
Restoring Democratic Authority
NUS must once again operate as a democratic federation of students’ unions.
That means national priorities are set collectively, decisions clearly reflect democratic mandates, and member unions can see how national positions are formed. Rebuilding that democratic traceability is the central challenge facing NUS today.
As NUS England President, I will ensure that NUS Conference once again plays a clear role in shaping the direction of the organisation.
Conference policy should guide national priorities and provide the democratic mandate for national campaigning.
I will introduce Focused National Campaigns on Student Priorities.
Each year, member unions will vote to select a small number of national priorities drawn from Conference policy. NUS resources, lobbying and public campaigning will align with those priorities.
National campaigning should reflect what member unions have democratically chosen to focus on.
I will ensure national decisions clearly show:
who made the decision
how it was made
what democratic structure it comes from
When decisions have clear democratic origins, disagreement becomes healthy debate rather than organisational conflict.
Strengthening Elected Officer Leadership
Sabbatical officers are elected to lead their students. They carry democratic mandates, represent thousands of members, and often navigate complex institutional and political pressures during their time in office.
Too often, officers are expected to lead without the national backing, policy clarity, or practical resources that make that leadership sustainable.
NUS should exist to strengthen elected leadership across the student movement.
As NUS England President, I will prioritise stronger national support for officers through three key initiatives.
Officer Induction and National Briefings
At the beginning of each officer cycle, NUS will offer structured briefings for newly elected sabbatical officers across member unions.
This review will engage officers from both affiliated and currently disaffiliated unions to build a clearer picture of how student leadership operates across the wider student movement.
These briefings will outline:
current NUS policy positions
national campaigns and priorities
areas where unions may wish to coordinate their advocacy
The aim is not to dictate local campaigns, but to ensure officers understand the national policy framework and the support available to them.
When officers understand the national context, they can make informed decisions about how to align local campaigning with national priorities where it benefits their students.
National Student Leadership Review
I will introduce a National Student Leadership Review, conducted with elected officers across the country.
This review will assess:
how democratic representation structures operate across unions
where officers feel empowered to lead
where structural barriers exist
The findings will be published in aggregate and used to identify where national support and structural reform are needed.
National Officer Protection and Support Protocol
Officers can face intense institutional, political, and public pressure when representing their students.
When officers act within their democratic mandate, they should not feel isolated or exposed.
As NUS England President, I will introduce a National Officer Protection and Support Protocol to ensure elected officers have access to national support when navigating complex or high-pressure situations.
This will include:
access to governance and policy advice when officers face institutional pressure
national guidance when officers are dealing with complex political issues or public scrutiny
coordination with relevant advisory partners where legal or governance clarity is required
When officers act within their democratic mandate, they should know the national student movement stands behind them.
Rebuilding Trust in the National Student Movement
Rebuilding NUS requires leadership that understands both the pressures students’ unions face and the structures that shape national decision-making.
Trust in the national organisation cannot be rebuilt through rhetoric alone. It must come from clear democratic processes and practical value for unions and their elected officers.
When national priorities are set through democratic mandate, and when officers receive meaningful support in representing their students, participation in the national movement becomes worthwhile again.
As NUS England President, my focus will be to ensure that NUS delivers both.
Democratic traceability will allow member unions to clearly see how national decisions are made.
Practical national support will ensure officers have the tools, expertise and coordination needed to advocate effectively for their students.
The national student movement should be an organisation unions choose to participate in because it strengthens their work — not because they feel obliged to remain.
Looking Forward
Students’ unions have always played an important role in defending democracy, equality and safe campuses. But the strength of the national student movement ultimately depends on the confidence of the unions that make it up.
NUS does not need to be louder or more performative. It needs to be democratic, disciplined and trusted by its members.
My focus as NUS England President will be simple: rebuild the democratic authority of NUS, strengthen elected officer leadership, and restore confidence in the national student movement so it once again works for the students it exists to represent.