Scottish MPs say 'disgrace' of scrapping Labour Students will cost seats

Scottish Labour MPs have condemned the decision to scrap the party’s student wing, warning that the party would lose elections if student activists were discouraged from campaigning for Labour candidates.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

On Tuesday, the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC) voted to end the party’s affiliation to the 40-year old campaign group, with prominent Jeremy Corbyn ally Jon Lansman leading the bid to replace Labour Students with a more radical organisation.

Labour Students has been seen by Mr Corbyn’s supporters as too centrist and hostile to his leadership.

The motion voted on by the NEC claimed that Labour Students had not kept up with affiliation fees, although this was disputed.

A source in Momentum, the grassroots campaign that was instrumental in electing Mr Corbyn as Labour leader, was quoted saying Labour Students was a “bunker for a tiny clique” and alleging that just 507 people took part in the organisation’s last election.

Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray, whose constituency includes the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Napier University, called the decision a “disgrace” and said he would not have won tightly contested elections in 2010 and 2015 without support from Labour Students.

“Labour Students provide a critical role in campaigning and the interaction with young people,” Mr Murray said.

“I was one of them when we worked tirelessly to win Edinburgh Pentlands in 1997 for Labour from the then Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind.

“I know for a fact I would not have won Edinburgh South in the hyper marginal election in 2010 and holding the seat in 2015 as the sole Scottish Labour MP was in no small part due to their contribution.

“To be cast aside by the Labour Leadership at a time when we should be campaigning hard to win an election is a disgrace.

“I will continue to support Labour Students and I am sure all of my colleagues will be doing the same.”

And Ged Killen, the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, said activists from Labour Students had been “instrumental to countless election campaigns”.

“From voter registration drives to getting students on the doorstep in marginal seats across the country, their impact cannot be underestimated,” Mr Killen said.

“It’s very disappointing to see NEC meetings being used in this way at a time when we should be focused on the Labour Party’s real priorities, holding this Tory Government to account and getting ready to fight for a Labour government.”

But another Scottish Labour source described Labour Students as “dysfunctional” and said local Labour clubs had been disenfranchised in its internal elections.