I have been a part of the re-occupation of Leeds Trinity University College for four days so far. We have decided to re-occupy to oppose all the cuts and to ensure that our community and university are aware of, and openly oppose them.
We are also aiming to organise to make sure that the strength of message the student protests have initiated is not wasted by a loss of volition.
The students have led the way in bringing the unions back to fighting these cuts and now that we are seeing action from the unions, workers, students and school children, the coalition government will have to either acknowledge the message being sent or admit the failings of a democratically elected body which can lie and cheat to gain a position, then abuse that position to further an ideology.
We spend most of the day working on media presentations, campaign materials, strategy, talking to other anti-cuts groups, liaising with the staff and other supporters and the day to day running of the occupation.
On a night we come to policy and discussion. As we all come back from our individual jobs, we start to look at the alternative to what is happening.
People have been so swayed by the turning of Labour to the third way, that they no longer feel there is an alternative, which makes us so angry. Since starting the campaign everyone has become more informed and we have realised that actually, if the three main parties are saying there needs to be cuts aimed at making the poor pay for the mistakes of the rich, then the three main parties need replacing.
There is £100bn in unclaimed tax in Britain at the minute each year, this includes £25bn tax evasion and £25bn tax avoidance. The deficit is suggested to be at £183bn, so we know exactly where to get over half the deficit.
Then there are other options to consider, the Robin Hood Tax could potentially bring in £20bn a year, though this requires international agreement to amend laws, Britain used to lead the way in things like this.
The reduction in the amount the banks that were bailed out repay before Christmas was disgusting. To then hear that bonuses are going to run to billions for bankers, following the coalition pledge to enforce transparency in bankers who earn more than £1m per year being ignored, suggests exactly where the coalition plan to get the money to pay for the previous governments mistakes and it is not the people responsible.
I have worked with the people in the occupation for some time and whatever their political background, they are the furthest from the apathetic stereotype the media have promoted for the last decade.
They are motivated, caring and unrelenting activists, who just want fairness for everyone so they can feel proud to be students and proud to be working towards a sustainable future for everyone and not just the rich.
I have made some of the closest friendships in my life and the bond is great, it is true that adversity builds character but it also builds personal connections that will endure much worse than the Tories and their pets can throw at us.
Guest blogger Andy Smith is a second-year single honours psychology student at Leeds Trinity University College in Horsforth. Check out the Leeds Trinity Students Against Cuts blog for the latest on the occupation.
