Student fees campaign at 'crossroads' as Leeds prepares protest

It's almost two weeks on from the student protests in London and the fight against cuts to higher education and increased tuition fees lies in limbo. With the loose coalition of protesters liable to fracture at any moment – and indeed, after NUS President Aaron Porter's condemnation of the violent takeover of Tory HQ some would say that it already has – the free education movement seems unsure as to which direction to take next. Should it continue to concentrate efforts in the nation's capital so as to preserve the attention of both Westminster and the general public as a whole, or does it divert to more localised action in an effort to pick off local politicians one by one? Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses: by concentrating action in London campaigners risk a repeat of the violence of 10 November and further alienation of those who never received a higher education themselves, but by localising action students risk diluting the campaign's current dynamism. 'Localised action is winning out' At the moment it would appear as though localised action is winning out: with a series of walk-outs planned for a national day of action today, and universities across the country looking inwards to plan their next steps. It would seem that student unions are focusing on strengthening the unity of their own individual movements before extending back out again to the capital. Threatening the free education movement however, is the disparate speeds and directions of individual campuses: with occupations having already taken place at Manchester and Sussex while other campuses struggle to recollect themselves after the violence of Demolition, the national campaign finds itself at a crossroads with one signpost pointing to 'success' and the other pointing to 'failure'. To its credit, the National Union of Students (NUS) has picked itself up again fairly quickly after its shameful exit on 10 November. Though unlikely to reclaim its position as leader of the free education movement any time soon – not at least until it apologises for its betrayal of the non-violent thousands who were part of the Millbank protest on 10 November – its new 'Right to Recall' campaign holds real potential for making a difference when the time comes for MPs to vote on a rise in tuition fees in December. Hijacking Liberal Democrat initiative The 'Right to Recall' campaign hijacks the Lib Dems' very own 'Right to Recall' initiative, which was bandied about during the general election. The initiative suggested that the general public should have the right to oust any MPs who repeatedly broke promises; a proposal that is now coming back to haunt Nick Clegg as the NUS urges students and other free education campaigners to 'recall' those Lib Dem MPs who are likely to go back on their election pledge to vote against any rise in tuition fees. This latest NUS campaign attempts to harness the widespread sense of betrayal felt by those students who voted for the Lib Dems back in April when they were still seen as 'The Students' Party', and if successful could see the MPs of several university towns running scared. Whether or not the NUS campaign has any real impact however, will likely depend on whether student unions are able to maintain order in their free education ranks: too little action and their movements will fracture as the more virulent protestors become restless; too much action and their movements could alienate the moderate majority and reduce to a militant core. At present Leeds University Union seems to have achieved a temporary stability within its free education coalition and a series of follow-up actions, including flashmobs, council deputations and planned walk-outs have proved popular with students across the political spectrum. Whether the movement can maintain its momentum is yet to be seen however, and the coming weeks will prove the real test as the scenes of 10 November become an increasingly distant memory. Laura Mackenzie is the editor at Leeds Student newspaper .