The leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Richard Leonard has backed the thirteen students who have been suspended by the university over protest action.
Leonard met with the group at a UCU picket line at Strathclyde University and said,
“This morning I joined striking UCU members on the picket line at the University of Strathclyde.
“There I met the Stirling University students who are facing potential expulsion for showing solidarity with their lecturers.
“The Stirling students and all UCU members have the full support of Scottish Labour and the labour movement.”
A number of Scottish Labour figures have come out in support of the group, including former MP Paul Sweeney and MSP and former leader Jackie Baillie.
Scottish Labour Students have also released a statement calling the suspension a “shameful violation of the university’s duty of care to it’s students.”
They have supported the students and criticised the university’s decision to suspend them.
Daniel Deery, the President of Stirling University Labour Society and one of the students who was suspended said,
“It’s brilliant to see that we have the support of Scottish labour leader Richard Leonard.
“Momentum is building behind the 13 students suspended by the university.
“It’s clear the university cannot hold out with these disproportionate politically motivated punishments for much longer.”
Local labour councillors Chris Kane and Danny Gibson have reached out to the group.
Councillor Gibson met with some of the students earlier this week and Councillor Kane said that the actions of the university made him “embarrassed” to be a Stirling graduate.
The 13 students were suspended for eight weeks after an investigation into the occupation protest of the management offices in the Cottrell Building and the university found that they were in breach of the student discipline code for disrupting the operation of the university and for blocking fire exits.
Featured Image: Richard Leonard MSP
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