Scotland's boost for Labour

Opposition to the Labour leadership of the National Union of Students Scotland proved ineffectual at its conference last week.

Student associations at Perth College, Glasgow Caledonian and Paisley universities were set to challenge the union's year-old policy not to seek a restoration of full grants during a debate on education funding which in the event never took place. The conference ended before student support, last in the motions timetable, was debated.

Labour students Shamin Akhtar (right) and Richard Baker were elected as next year's president and depute president, comfortably beating their respective independent challengers Terry Gibson and Elaine Sweeney.

Labour students and independents split the six remaining executive places.

Ms Akhtar is the first black woman president of the union, and spearheaded its voter registration campaign which has added 17,000 students to the electoral register in Scotland.