The University of Stirling Conservative Society issued a statement criticising the Students’ Union for not allowing societies to endorse candidates in the upcoming Union Election.
Union policy states societies must refrain from endorsing candidates in order to “ensure all members of your society feel represented regardless of political view and also helps prevent bias”, according to the current VP of Communities Jess Logan.
In the email to society presidents, Logan said: “As I am sure you are all aware, clubs are not allowed to endorse candidates for positions. While individuals can, the society as a whole cannot. This is to ensure all members of your society feel represented regardless of political view and also helps prevent bias”.
President of the Stirling University Conservatives, Alasdhair McBride, said: “We have tonight received a reminder from Stirling University Students’ Union of our obligation as a society not to endorse candidates for the upcoming Union Election to ensure ‘all members of your society feel represented regardless of political view’.
“As a society, we felt obligated to point out the hypocrisy of such a request considering that just under six months ago the Union President issued a statement on behalf of the Students’ Union supporting potentially illegal action by the CND society.
“As a society whose members openly and wholeheartedly support the maintenance of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent, we feel the Students’ Union’s request is utter hypocrisy, as its stance on nuclear disarmament leads to our members (and many within the wider student community) to feel that the Students’ Union does not represent them as a result of their political views.”
The Conservative Society accepted the Union’s request, but asked them to review the policy.
Brig have approached the Union for further comment.
Featured Image Credit: Stirling Students Image
[…] There was a reason for this: the previous day, Stirling’s Conservative Society had issued a statement decrying the Union’s “utter hypocrisy” over society neutrality. Despite the fact […]