Oxford’s Labour Club (OULC) has denied disunity after members of its executive have pledged their support to different OUSU president candidates. Traditionally OULC has supported one candidate in the OUSU elections but this year members of their executive are running on different slates.
One of the club’s co-chairs, Nicola Sugden, emphasised that it has been “many years since OULC officially supported any OUSU candidate” or ran an “OULC slate”. She commented that “there hasn’t been any formal discussion in OULC about who to back” and so it shouldn’t be surprising that members of OULC are running on different slates.
Whilst Colin Jackson, OULC co-chair, pointed out that the last time OULC officially backed an OUSU presidential candidate was in 2008. However an OULC member highlighted that the club has conventionally stood for one slate, for example in 2010 when Martha Mackenzie received their support in her, ultimately, successful campaign.
Of the OULC executive, 9 of 12 are running for various positions; the majority divided between OUSU presidential candidates Jacob Diggle, David Railton and David Townsend. Notably, ex-OULC co-chair Jack Evans and current treasurer Chris Gray are running for vice-president position on opposing slates.
Nicola Sugden was insistent in stating that “there are no tensions within OULC”. She stated that no candidates had sought endorsement from OULC, nor had there been any formal discussion on the matter. Furthermore she highlighted that OULC’s focus this term “is based around policy discussion on contentious national issues, and weekly campaigning in East Oxford” rather than the OUSU elections.
In response to suggestions of disunity, Colin Jackson remarked that despite the perception of OULC as a student political powerhouse, it is “a large, diverse student society committed to the Labour Party cause in Britain and beyond”. He noted that “the composition of our exec reflects the club’s diversity of opinion” and thus the divided support in the OUSU elections.
Both OULC co-chairs billed running in the OUSU elections as wider involvement in university life that didn’t necessarily relate to the Labour Club. Sugden commented that “I am incredibly happy that almost all of my exec are also active in their JCRs, give much time to other clubs and societies, and engage with OUSU”. Jackson concurred, saying most important is that OULC members are “getting involved and serving as active and responsible members of the student union” .
Both OULC co-chairs are themselves running; Sudgen for vice president on the ‘Sugden and Fox 4 OUSU’ slate and Jackson is running in support of Jacob Diggle’s presidential campaign. The elections manifestos have been submitted and voting is due to take place between 8am and 6pm on Thursday of 6th week.
Jackson rejected suggestions that the high number of OULC executive running meant being split across different slates. The OULC leadership emphasised again, however, that no formal discussion had taken place on OUSU support as took place in the run-up to the Labour Party Leadership Election.
