This is a worried letter I wrote to Anne Campbell shortly before RESPECT was formed. I got a unsatisfactory response on both issues. i soon joined RESPECT
1) Iraq
I feel that the committee set up to investigate the government’s decision to go to war with Iraq should investigate the political decisions made as well as the intelligence issues.
I was opposed to the invasion of Iraq, as I think that you were, on the grounds that the UN, in the form of the weapons inspectors, had to be the best way forward for the stability of world politics and to ensure that the Iraqi people were treated with respect. There was an overwhelming concern that we were following a dodgy line, motioned by the US administration and based on insufficient evidence and the possibility of undeclared interests.
I felt betrayed at the time and even more so now! I assume that you must too. I hope you can find a way of voicing my concerns in the debate on Wednesday.
2) Tuition Fees
I regret that you abstained on such an important issue. I can see why you were confused, as I was, by the merits of the proposal in relation to the present one. I However disagree with the present system for funding individual and feel that the proposed system is worse.
It was implied by the CEN that one students letter helped change your mind. To me this seemed a bit undemocratic and hope that this was bad journalism over your ability to be swayed by one opinion.
I teach at Long Road SFC and one of my concerns is the way toward rewarding individualism and encouraging people to be in competition over career paths. This seems to work against the fundamental principals of the Labour Party I once supported (before Blair). I polled my department of 8 teachers today and found out that 4 of them were the first in their family to go to university 1 went as a mature student. All 5 thought they might not have afforded to go under either this or the new system. One of them (the youngest) is in £10,000 debt from doing his degree and training and is now having to support his wife through teacher training. She was also the first to go to university from her family and would not be able to do her training if it where not for her husband. I trained though an on the job course and only managed to do so as I moved back in with my mother, also a teacher.
I fear that due to the changes proposed more and more conscientious and socially minded citizens are going to be left supporting a more and more inadequate education system that is set up to benefits a capitalist society that has the individual at its heart.
please keep fighting for the cause
we are
yours sincerely
Tom Woodcock
1) Iraq
I feel that the committee set up to investigate the government’s decision to go to war with Iraq should investigate the political decisions made as well as the intelligence issues.
I was opposed to the invasion of Iraq, as I think that you were, on the grounds that the UN, in the form of the weapons inspectors, had to be the best way forward for the stability of world politics and to ensure that the Iraqi people were treated with respect. There was an overwhelming concern that we were following a dodgy line, motioned by the US administration and based on insufficient evidence and the possibility of undeclared interests.
I felt betrayed at the time and even more so now! I assume that you must too. I hope you can find a way of voicing my concerns in the debate on Wednesday.
2) Tuition Fees
I regret that you abstained on such an important issue. I can see why you were confused, as I was, by the merits of the proposal in relation to the present one. I However disagree with the present system for funding individual and feel that the proposed system is worse.
It was implied by the CEN that one students letter helped change your mind. To me this seemed a bit undemocratic and hope that this was bad journalism over your ability to be swayed by one opinion.
I teach at Long Road SFC and one of my concerns is the way toward rewarding individualism and encouraging people to be in competition over career paths. This seems to work against the fundamental principals of the Labour Party I once supported (before Blair). I polled my department of 8 teachers today and found out that 4 of them were the first in their family to go to university 1 went as a mature student. All 5 thought they might not have afforded to go under either this or the new system. One of them (the youngest) is in £10,000 debt from doing his degree and training and is now having to support his wife through teacher training. She was also the first to go to university from her family and would not be able to do her training if it where not for her husband. I trained though an on the job course and only managed to do so as I moved back in with my mother, also a teacher.
I fear that due to the changes proposed more and more conscientious and socially minded citizens are going to be left supporting a more and more inadequate education system that is set up to benefits a capitalist society that has the individual at its heart.
please keep fighting for the cause
we are
yours sincerely
Tom Woodcock
