Why don’t we care? Ashley Walsh on his decision to stand for Councillor, and why we need to start voting For the average Cambridge student, mention of University politics conjures images of pompous arts students berating their opponents on national partisan lines (as if I’m responsible for fiscal policy) or of CUSU dullards leading a shambolic march down King’s Parade. But not me! Student politics for me meant standing in the local elections for Cambridge City Council both this year and last. Now, be honest, as you struggled with the pressures of exam term, how much time did you devote to the local elections? Did you know that there were local elections? Do you know the policy areas for which local councillors are responsible? 6
If you answered ‘no’ to these questions, I don’t blame you. We student politicos don’t exactly make political engagement that appealing. When someone as politically dedicated as myself comes across most of the permanently loud-of-mouth and irritatingly pious who seem to comprise the local student commentariat, I have to think twice. And Council policy on recycling complex plastics or congestion on arterial roads is hardly The West Wing, is it? I can see why so few students turn out, but I also think that the only way to improve the political landscape in the University is actually to do something about it. And what could be easier than voting? It’s quick, simple, and you only need to do it once a year. If we voted en masse, we might be able to elect representatives who bother to communicate with us, find out our concerns, and maintain contact with us. This student apathy speaks also to a larger problem. Okay, question time again: how many of us have used the word ‘townie’? How many of us have watched a verbal fracas or even an altercation (I love that word) between students and residents outside Wetherspoons? How many of us have said that we should get priority because the University was here first?