Labour · Issue 867

Josie Allchin quizzes two student hopefuls running for seats in Cathays: meet Michaela Neild and Steve Farringdon

What made want you want to run in these elections?

MN: Local politics is something that really appeals to me. I started off in local youth politics and got quite attached to do things locally, I really enjoy going back to the roots of things.

SF: It’s also very rewarding, and you can actually see the results of your work.

MN: Being a councillor also allows you to live in that particular community, which is a real advantage when you’re working to improve it.

Do you think your age will be a help or a hindrance?

MN: Well I was told that three quarters of the population of Cathays are students, and Labour are fielding three students so in a way we are reflecting that population which could be an advantage.

How many members does the Labour society have at Cardiff?

MN: Last year, there wasn’t a Labour Students Society at Cardiff, so compared to what it was, it’s huge.

SF: We have around 37 members so far.

And what kind of things do you get up to?

SF: Well we generally meet most weeks, and we’ve been around the country attending lots of events. We also went to Westminster, the Labour Party Spring conference and the Labour Students conference as well.

MN: Locally, we do campaigning but we try not to make it too much of a big commitment, especially for the people who don’t do politics because usually for them its more of a hobby or an interest.

SF: It’s also only our first year as a society, so we’re just trying to find our feet really.

What do you think draws students to supporting Labour?

MN: Within the club, we’ve got a few people whose families are really involved in the party, a few that have joined through doing politics as an actual degree, and also a few who don’t do that kind of course but who are interested and really engaged with the party in general – which is what I find most interesting.

SF: Within the club there are also a lot of people who realised that their values and ideals were the same as the Labour Party’s, and wanted to join because of that. I suppose we also have members who do it out of habit, passive members of the Labour Party I suppose, so there’s lots of ways into it really.

Why do you think it’s important for students who vote Labour to join the student wing?

MN: There are a lot of opportunities, and it’s nice to be part of a club where you can meet loads of people from different backgrounds, but you can politically identify with, and who have the same core values as you do.

How is Cardiff Student Labour involved in the actual Labour Party?

MN: Yeah we are a completely independent voice. For example, Labour students were completely against the war in Iraq, and we campaigned really hard against top-up fees

SF: But being an independent unit can also be a positive thing as well, because Labour students have also spearheaded a lot good Labour campaigns, so it’s not all about attacking the government!

What do you think of the supposed student apathy towards politics, especially local politics?

MN: Well when you associate yourself with a certain party you will be labelled with their failures as much as their successes. But there has been a recent surge towards working in pressure groups and interest groups for certain causes – which you’ll find students would much rather get involved in. So in that respect, there is very little apathy.

SF: I think also some parties are only just coming round to dealing with a lot of modern day issues, which may begin to attract more students.

So lastly, why should we vote labour in the local elections?

SF: Labour stands up for students, and the Lib Dem council has been rubbish, completely failing to represent anybody. We also want to focus on waste and recycling, as well as the state of Cathays as whole – roads and pavements for example.

MN: Labour are “the change” in these local elections!