Oxford students want to cut ties with NUS over Malia Bouattia

Students at Oxford University have added their voices to a growing list of institutions threatening to sever links to the National Union of Students following the election of Malia Bouattia as president.

Oxford University’s team of delegates for NUS conference - David Klemperer, Anne Cremin, Harry Samuels and Matt Sumption - announced their intention to seek a referendum to disaffiliate from the NUS on their Facebook page on Thursday.

The same team proposed the passed motion re-affirming NUS’ commitment to fighting antisemitism at national conference.

Their Facebook statement expressed the delegates disappointment with the union’s national conference which it said confirmed the “stereotypes” about NUS.

The Facebook statement said: “Most disheartening, however, were the results of the elections, which clearly showed an NUS out of step with the views of ordinary students, and profoundly closed to the kinds of reforms we want to see - in particular, the election of Malia Bouattia, a candidate who was elected despite condemnation from over 50 JSoc Presidents for her previous anti-Semitic comments.

“Today, we no longer believe that Oxford’s membership of the NUS can be justified. The point of a union for students is to deliver real representation for all students, and what has occurred this conference shows that this is no longer a priority for those who hold power in the NUS.

“We therefore announce our intention to seek a referendum to disaffiliate from the NUS, and will support a motion to that effect in OUSU Council.”

Oxford University JSoc president Isaac Virchis is supporting the motion and said it is a “vote of no confidence” in the NUS. “I don’t think they will be working towards the goals they are committed to”, he added.

While members of the JSoc are supporting the motion, the society has not taken any official stance.

The motion calling for a referendum is likely to be discussed in the OUSU council meeting next Wednesday. If it passes a referendum could be called within the next few weeks.

Ms Bouattia, 28, was elected student leader on Wednesday at the NUS national conference in Brighton.

She has been heavily criticised over her past comments about Zionists and an open letter signed by 45 Jewish society presidents during her election campaign posed questions on her “past rhetoric”.

In 2011 an article she co-wrote referred to Birmingham University as a “Zionist outpost” and a video clip which emerged on Tuesday showed Ms Bouattia using the term “Zionist-led media” during a speech. Her election sparked outrage among Jewish students and organisations.

Ms Bouattia has also come under fire for opposing a motion which condemned Daesh.

Students at Cambridge University have said they will request a referendum to disaffiliate with the NUS and campaigners there are in contact with their counterparts at the universities of Durham, Edinburgh, York, Westminster, Aberystwyth, London South Bank, London School of Economics and Kings College London.

In her conference closing speech outgoing NUS president Megan Dunn urged students not to leave the union.

She said: “To anybody here or back on campus that is whispering of disaffiliation from NUS because of this Conference – know this, we are stronger when we work together.”

Following Wednesday’s election the Union of Jewish Students said in a statement: "There is now a choice to be made. Jewish students need to decide whether NUS has gone too far for them to want to be involved, or whether now is the time to step up the fight from within."

NUS receives membership from 600 universities and colleges across the UK.