| 5°C Belfast

Queen's University Young Unionist: It's vital we build a neutral space for everyone

Sky Aughey is chairperson of Young Unionists at Queen's University, Belfast Expand

Close

Sky Aughey is chairperson of Young Unionists at Queen's University, Belfast

Sky Aughey is chairperson of Young Unionists at Queen's University, Belfast

Sky Aughey is chairperson of Young Unionists at Queen's University, Belfast

By Sky Aughey

I can honestly say that the three years I have spent studying at Queen's University Belfast have been excellent. University is a place where students should be exposed to many different ideas and experiences, and also the freedom to express and develop their own outlooks on life.

However, it would be inappropriate for the expression of these ideas to come at the expense of others and a balance must be struck.

It seems only logical that when students enter the university grounds, they should feel they are in a neutral environment where they can be free from the party political battles of everyday life.

I regret to say that Queen's Students' Union has become a forum in which local politics is being played out. In one year we have seen an attempt to ban the charitable selling of the poppy and currently we have a petition circulating calling on the Students' Union to hold a referendum on the question "Should Ireland be a united and independent country?"

If Queen's Students' Union adopts a pro-united Ireland stance, then many students would inevitably feel alienated and unwelcome. And this would not just be limited to those of a unionist background. Those who chose to disassociate themselves from any form of unionist/nationalist politics will inevitably feel badly served and poorly represented by their own union.

Queen's Students' Union can pride itself on its ability to give students a voice via its elected student council members and its hard-working student officers who provide assistance and representation at all times. We should therefore be very wary about using a student body as a medium for pushing any form of political agenda. Students, of course, should be allowed to voice their opinions, but such controversial issues are surely best left to our political representatives.

I believe that the union would be better served by working to better the lives of students by tackling the everyday concerns that really affect them.

I would never wish to deny anyone their right to express their political views, but in my opinion, the Students' Union should be a welcoming and inclusive place and not the source of divisive political stances.

Sky Aughey is chairperson of Young Unionists at Queen's University, Belfast

Belfast Telegraph

Top Videos

Privacy