Scots NUS leader to head union across UK

Students yesterday elected the president of NUS Scotland as their UK leader.

Liam Burns was named national president of the NUS after winning more than 60 per cent of the vote in the final round.

He vowed to "work tirelessly to defend, extend and promote the rights of students".

He replaces Aaron Porter, who is standing down after criticism of his response to last year's high-profile fees protests.

Mr Burns defeated Shane Chowen, NUS vice-president for further education, who had been publicly endorsed by Mr Porter.

Mark Bergfeld, a sociology graduate from Essex University and a spokesman for the Education Activist Network, who described himself as a "dissident voice" on the NUS's executive committee, came third, while Thomas Byrne, a first-year politics student at York University, was fourth.

Mr Burns, who studied physics at Heriot-Watt University, will officially take up his post on 1 July.

He said: "I am honoured and delighted to have been elected NUS national president for the year to come. It's going to be a hugely challenging year for both further and higher education."