By Colin Cortbus
CONTROVERSIAL Thurrock Labour councillor Aaron Kiely has failed in his bid to become the president of the National Union of Students.
The Ockendon councillor has provoked an outcry both locally and nationally due to his poor attendance record at meetings as well as apparent disdain of residents despite pocketing £7,000 a year of taxpayers money.
The current NUS president, Toni Pierce, a further education student from Cornwall College, was re-elected with a large majority, receiving 454 of the 728 votes from delegates in total, beating all three other candidates.
Kiely, who campaigned on a platform including “Defend Education … Fight Austerity” and “International Peace and Justice”, received 150 votes. He is currently Black Students’ Officer for the NUS and was backed by the well-organised “Student Broad Left” faction.
Interestingly, on page two of his manifesto, Kiely lists -under the heading “my experience”- numerous political roles he has held, such as being an activist with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign as well as a Unite Against Fascism Student Officer. The list however makes no mention of his position as a Thurrock Councillor and his achievements (if any) in this regard.
Toni Pearce celebrated online proclaiming that the conference was “my favourite National Conference ever”. She was quoted in the Guardian as saying that she will continue her campaign “to create more jobs and tackle unpaid internships”. Aaron Kiely thanked his supporters writing “I am absolutely shattered – thanks Conference, colleagues, comrades and everyone who made it very memorable!“.
That’ll be two things that he won’t be this year, President of the NUS and TDC Councillor of Ockendon!
The advert kiely claimed three years ago must come under false advertising, isn’t it law that if it doesn’t work as advertised you get your money back!!
Wendy Herd should be able to tell you that
I do hope all students aren’t like this child. Isn’t it about time he got s proper job and stopped acting like a spoiled brat running around and playing silly political games in the hope his street cred among the loons on the left goes up. Are there really such groups as the Palestinian solidarity campaign and the Venezuala solidarity campaign. I doubt those would get in a Monty Python sketch. Solidarity brothers.
Maybe Cllr Kiely will have more time to do his job now which he gets paid £8k for and actually do some work for the people of Ockendon? I doubt it!
Ed your blow a hole in your pants how your going on. Your no sherlock Holmes I read what shelley wrote to you pet and I thought you must know each other because you could clearly see from the riddle that you know a elected councillor who was a portfolio for education. And manipulated the system for a friend pet I wish I was shelley but if thats what you want to believe then do so. Deflection is the best form of a cover up now I believe bare rabbit your hiding something
neurotic catastrophization.