Scottish Labour Students (SLS) is a student society affiliated to Scottish Labour, and part of the UK wide organisation Labour Students.
It aims to bring Labour values to campuses and represent students within the Labour Party throughout Scotland. SLS hold regular Scottish events including SLS Conference in November and SLS Council in February. In addition, its members are often invited to hear major speakers at Labour Party events throughout the year. Glasgow University Labour Club and Edinburgh Labour Students are the two biggest clubs within SLS, and the newest club is the University of the West of Scotland Labour Students.
History
The organisation was founded as the Organisation of Labour Students (SOLS) in 1970/1971, however it is a direct descendant of the Scottish Association of Labour Student Organisations (SALSO) which had existed since 1946. In the 1960s SALSO's UK equivalent, the National Association of Labour Student Organisations (NALSO), was taken over by Trotskyists and disaffiliated from the Labour Party. SALSO, however, successfully resisted any take-over attempts.
SOLS remained famous for its hostility to Trotskyism and its members were key to recovering control of the National Organisation of Labour Students, NOLS, from the Militant tendency in 1975 and the following year SOLS members took the famous "icepick express" (a bus with an icepick - the weapon used to kill Leon Trotsky - attached to the front) to that year's NOLS conference at Lancaster University. This incident is recalled in some detail in Michael Crick's book on the Militant tendency. (see Clause Four Group.)
In 2023, Scottish Conference voted unanimously to re-affiliated SLS after a campaign by incumbent Chair Solomon Cuthbertson.[2]
SLS has an executive committee, elected on a yearly basis, currently including:
Chair: Emma Russell
Vice Chair: Debbie Boyd
Secretary: Jamie McGuire
Treasurer: Lucy Penman (Co-Opted Mid-Term)
Social Media and Communications: Daniel Cameron
Women's Officer: Lauren Harper
Disabled Students' Officer: VACANT
BAME Officer: Bibi-Anne Latief-Shinki
LGBT+ Officer: VACANT
Student Union Liaison: Lucy Penman
All positions are elected at the annual SLS Conference held at the conclusion of each academic year.
Liberation groups
The SLS committee includes representatives from each of the 4 liberation campaigns recognised by Labour Students: Women's, LGBT+, Disabled Students and Black Minority Ethnic. Each campaign is autonomous and hold events and discussions designed at highlighting issues relevant to them to the wider Labour Students movement.
Campaigning
SLS members are involved in election campaigning in Scotland and across the UK, and the organisation mobilises its members to take part in campaigns in marginal seats across the country.
In addition to this, for the first time in 2007/08 SLS ran its own issue-based priority campaign. 'Changing Perceptions - Homelessness' intended to challenge the perception young people have of the homeless in Scotland.
In 2008 SLS ran a pro-choicelobbying campaign against attempts during the passage of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill by Conservative Party MP Nadine Dorries to reduce the upper limit for abortions to 20 weeks from the current 24 weeks of pregnancy. Her amendment was defeated by 332 votes to 190, with a separate 22-week limit opposed by 304 votes to 233 - with MPs continuing to support the 24-week limit.
SLS are also actively involved in opposing the Scottish National Party plans to introduce a Local Income Tax which SLS claim would hit students who have to work to support themselves while studying.
As of 2014 SLS officially supports the return of the post-study work visa and free education.
As of 2019, the SLS officially supports further unionisation of workers in students' unions across Scotland.
Andrew Wilson (resigned mid-term after majority of University Labour Clubs voted no confidence in leadership)
2019
Mariam Shaaban (elected following Andrew Wilson's resignation)
2020
Mariam Shaaban (resigned mid-term)
2020
Lottie Doherty (Interim Chair)
2021
Daniel Deery
2022
Solomon Cuthbertson
2023
Solomon Cuthbertson
2024
Emma Russell
Note: Blair McDougall served two terms because the Youth and Student Conference was cancelled following the death of Scotland's First Minister, Donald Dewar.
