To:
Keir Starmer - Leader of the Labour Party
Kate Green - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Emma Hardy - Shadow Universities Minister
Thangam Debbonaire - Secretary of State for Housing

Dear Keir, Kate, Emma and Thangam,

We are writing to ask you to give your support to the wave of student rent strikes across the country in protest at extortionate rents and our treatment this year.

We have been mistreated and lied to by the Tory government and University managements throughout this pandemic to keep us paying extortionate rent and fees.

Students and staff at universities have been put at disproportionate risk of coronavirus with staff forced to work in unsafe conditions as UCU’s warnings last summer of Covid-19 outbreaks were ignored.

As a result students have been left isolated in lockdown without adequate mental health support, have been subject to increased securitisation of campuses and racialised policing and have lost work they depend upon without the provision of real financial assistance.

Many students have had to pay for accommodation they cannot use as intended while losing income they would otherwise rely on. This comes on top of years of rising student rents as University managements prioritise endless revenue growth and capital expansion - driving down living standards and pricing working class young people out of higher education.

The root of the problem is an education system run on market lines which reduces students to revenues, staff to costs and education to a commodity.

The Labour Party was founded to support working people in struggle. It has an obligation of solidarity to students fighting for adequate and affordable housing and a responsibility to fight for an alternative vision of free education.

We’re calling on you to:
• Give clear and vocal public support to the student rent strikes.
• Whip Labour MPs to support their local rent strikes.
• Meet with the Young Labour Student Reps and rent strikers to discuss the student covid-19 crisis.
• Support the position of UCU and oppose attempts to pit students and staff against each other.
• Fight for a free and democratic education system - with public funding in place of fees, grants to cover living costs of working-class students, social student housing run to meet needs with rent cuts and controls, and the democratic control of universities by students & staff.

Signed:

Young Labour
University of Manchester Rent Strike
Nottingham Labour Students
University of Warwick Labour Society
Lancaster University Labour Club
University of Liverpool Labour Students
NTU Labour Society
Birmingham University Labour Students
Royal Holloway Labour Society
University of Bristol Labour Club
University of Leicester Labour Society
University of Leeds Labour Society
Falmouth University and Exeter (Cornwall Campus) University FXU Labour Society
Exeter Labour Students
UCL Labour Society
Surrey Labour Students
QMUL Labour Society
Strathclyde University Labour Club
Imperial Labour Society
Reading University Labour Society
Cambridge University Labour Club
University of Sussex Labour Society
Durham University Labour Club
Sheffield Labour Students
University of York Labour Club
Liverpool John Moores University Labour


Fraser Amos  Young Labour Student Rep
Micaela Tracey-Ramos Young Labour Student Rep
Nabeela Mowlana Young Labour Student Rep
Jess Barnard Young Labour Chair
Lara McNeil Young Labour NEC Rep
Daisy Carter Young Labour South West Rep
Connor Slomski Young Labour North East Rep
Annie Maloney Young Labour Yorkshire and Humber Rep
Lamar Campbell Young Labour International Rep
Nazifa Zaman Young Labour West Mids Rep
Katherine Harlow Young Labour East Mids Rep
Mohammad Suhail Young Labour North West Rep
Nekisa Golami-Babaahmady Young Labour South East Rep
Shannon Jezzard Young Labour East Rep
Hasan Patel Young Labour Under 19s Rep
Matthew Flowers
Indica Norcup Head of Coventry's Rent Strike Coventry University
Ben McGowan UoM Rentstrike University of Manchester
Emerson Murphy University of London Rent Strike Organiser LSE (UoL)
Kieran Kavanagh Director of comms Young Labour International Essex
Aisha Malik-Smith President of UCL Labour Society UCL
Harry Jones NCL Rent Strike/ Rent Striker Newcastle University
Yasmin Gasimova Student, Riverside CLP Vice-Chair Fundraiser Liverpool John Moores University
Jack Swan Graduate University of Manchester
Owen Shann Student University of Birmingham
Saranya Thambirajah social media rep University of Bristol
Sam Hope Treasurer/Social Sec at Lancaster Uni Labour Club & Lancashire Rep at North West Young Labour Lancaster
Jacob Allen Guildford CLP Secretary University of Surrey
Ryan Hack UCL
Ellie Willet Student University of Sheffield
Cian Lloyd Ireland Treasurer of Scottish Labour Students Stirling University
Andy de emmony Branch secretary Loughborough
Lewis Frank Hepburn Brighton rent strike representative Universitt of Brighton
Peter Curphey Lancaster University
Sacha Marten CLP VC Membership and LGBT+ Officer Birkbeck College, University of London
Molly Hands
Noah Fox Student/supermarket worker Manchester metropolitan university
Catalina-Adelina Constantin De Montfort University
Barney Wardale University of Bath
Annabel Every Student Royal Holloway, University of London
Charlotte Molloy University of Liverpool
G Baker Co-Chair London School of Economics Labour Society
Serban-Andrei Locota University of Manchester
Hatty Ruddick NUS NSC Member, Former Manchester Students’ Union Womens’ Officer University of Bolton
Eloise Harris Trade Union Liaison Officer for QMUL Labour Society Queen Mary University of London
Douglas Wilson King's College London
Finn Oldfield The University of Edinburgh
B Student Imperial College London
Esther Kanagalingam
Anna Simonaitis Sheffield Hallam University
Miranda Gibbon
Cathy Crowther Acorn Renters Union member
Jacob Dawson Student
Kimberly Barber University of Northampton
Gabby Willis Student representative at Sheffield hallam students Union Sheffield Hallam University
Felix Ling Former PPC
Sheldon Allen President Reading University Labour Society
Ellie Bagley Co-Chair Durham University Labour Club
Sean Riley Dundee Labour Students' Disability Officer University of Dundee
Niall Hawkins Warwick
Sufyan Hatia Undergraduate Student University of Warwick
Victoria Linford Student University of Brighton
Fraser Farmery Treasurer UOL Labour Students University of Liverpool
Kathryn Manley Secretary University of Liverpool
Joseph Jones Liverpool Labour Students
James Hughes
Abbosjon Hudoyberdiev Bristol
Chloe Field Vice President of Guild University of Liverpool
Sam Woodford Campaigns Officer University of Liverpool
Arbaaz Ahmed BAME OFFICER University of Liverpool
Abbie Wells University of Liverpool
Nat Griffin Youth Officer, Wavertree CLP
Max Barlow University of Liverpool
Jeremy Hawthorn Liverpool Riverside CLP
Yasmin Spencer Royal Holloway University of London
Caitlin Phillips Student Liverpool John Moore’s University
Matt Buckley Campaigns Officer Bath University Labour Club
Adam Tarrant University of Liverpool
Bath University Labour Club Full Labour Club committee supports this letter, please add our name 🙂
William Phillips Community officer Liverpool John Moore's
Chris Jones Emeritus Professor Liverpool John Moores University
John Mahoney A paying farther Kent
James John Bristol West Youth Officer
Shona Jemphrey Councillor candidate
Maya Patel Secretary Aston University Labour Society
Louis Holmes Uni of Bristol rent strike organiser University of Bristol
James Roscoe Member University of Liverpool
Ruby McGrath Student University of Liverpool
Lia Hant Student Liverpool
Matthew Hollinshead
Chris de Soysa Riverside CLP Youth Officer
Ben Glaves Student University of Liverpool
Emilia James University of Liverpool
Amen Tesfay Co-Chair Queen Mary Labour Society Queen Mary University of London
Joe Booth
Eoin Johnston-McCondach Trade Union Liaison Officer University of Liverpool
Kal Ross Liverpool Riverside CLP EC Member
Joshua Bloodworth Student University of Liverpool
James Maloy University of Bristol
Kieran Glasssmith TULO, Bristol West CLP
Alice Hill Student University of St Andrew’s
Vijay Jackson Political Education Officer, Edinburgh Central CLP
William Smith University of York
Tim Hayden Chair  Liverpool Riverside CLP
Troy Hawkins Bristol University
Ben Masters Student Queen Mary University Of London
Sarah Doyle Local councillor University of Law
Abby Neve Student University of Leeds
Ed Gommon Branch Secretary Princes Park
Victoria Linford Student University of Brighton
Harry Nathan Secretary Liverpool John Moore's University
Jack Ballingham Co-Chair, Durham University Labour Club Durham
Ben Glaves Student University of Liverpool
Colm Greany  Student University of Sheffield
Joseph Roberto Sheffield Hallam Graduate
D Liverpool john moores university
Harry McCarthy Candidate for Holme Valley North & Colne Valley CLP Secretary
Lara Oakes-Monger Co-chair Liverpool Labour students University of Liverpool
Jonathan Cooper Resist: MFAPP London regional organiser
Christie Horan Graduate (2020) University of Brighton
Christie Horan Graduate (2020) University of Brighton
Chloe Brooks University of Manchester
Elizabeth Hayden Councillor at Liverpool City Council
Sarah Teversham Vice Chair Labour Party Ward branch
Joshua Bloodworth Student University of Liverpool
Ben Dawson Student University of Brighton
Keziah Spaine Co Chair University of Sheffield
Andy de emmony Branch secretary Loughborough
Calan Hewing Co-Chair University of York Labour Club
Gill mcCall Retired AHP, member LP, Unite Comm UCL alumni
Aisa Teltscher co-LGBTQ+ Officer, Warwick Labour University of Warwick
Michael Hogan Liverpool Wavertree CLP
Kevin Mcintyre Wavertree Labour CLP
Stephen Andrews NEU member: Birkenhead CLP Vice Chair/membership
Roshini Ellis Student University of Liverpool
John Maher Secretary, Birkenhead CLP.
Harvey Stannard Northumbria Uni
Charlotte Stephenson Undergraduate student University of Liverpool
Steve Millward Retired
Marie Harrison Retired University Lecturer. Membet Riverside CLP. Retired John Moores University.
Michele Martin Member Southport CLP
Sue Larty Liverpool Wavertree CLP
Chris Davies Birkenhead CLP, GMB Rep.
Gerard Smyth
Hannah Walker Student Liverpool
Freya Windslow
Alexa Hanson Student University of Liverpool
Phoebe O'Connor Student University of Liverpool
Lauren Gregory University of Liverpool
Olivia Bird University of Liverpool
Adam Clark Student Liverpool
Sophie Flanagan University of Liverpool
Melanie Student Liverpool
Conor McAnulty l Student Liverpool John moores
Hannah Grant Schuck Student University of Liverpool
Freya Windslow
Caroline Keen Worker, Union member, LP member
David Toller
Paul Filby