Dear Simon
Hope you are well. We’ve CC’d NUS President Malia Bouattia into this email in her capacity as Chair of the NEC. We will also be publishing this letter for our students to read.
We are writing to express our dismay and disappointment regarding the recent Al Jazeera investigation, which has implicated Richard Brooks, Vice President Union Development. There are a number of issues that we would like to raise.
It is important to note that the Al Jazeera investigation had nothing to do with NUS, and it just ended up implicating one of its’ Vice Presidents. This is a major problem.
At a time when students face grave uncertainties in Higher Education, from the HE bill to Brexit, we feel that it is offensive and a matter of grave misconduct that we have a Vice President of our National Union seen on tape willing to collude with foreign governments and organisations to undermine national democracy and put the life of a Muslim woman of colour at greater risk than it already is.
The statement and rhetoric that was put out by Richard in response to these allegations is also troubling. To exonerate ones’ self from these actions under the banner of political disagreement and to paint a picture of a conspiracy against him completely erases the ramifications of his actions. This is not ordinary political organising. To downplay this as such is an insult to our national democracy and the foundations of our national union.
Furthermore, it is extremely worrying that actions such as these may have contributed to the threats on Malia’s life in a time where the national rhetoric on Muslims and women of colour in particular is so toxic.
Following the outcome of the Institutional Racism Review, outlining areas of mass failure on NUS to support its’ staff and officers of colour, we urge you to tackle this issue proactively and immediately.
We are supporting calls for an emergency NEC meeting for proper accountability to take place regardless of the outcome of any trustee board investigation. We will also be joining other officers and students' unions across the country in calling for appropriate action, accountability and the regaining of the confidence lost in the NUS, because of Richard’s actions.
This has been an absolute embarrassment to the student movement and every notion of mandated democracy and we urge you to take immediate action.
Signed,
Daniel Nasr, President
Eva Crossan Jory, Campaigns & Activities Officer
Tara Mariwany, Welfare & Diversity Officer
Mollie Kneath, Education Officer
Watch the investigation here.