Since the the beginning of the academic year, the Newcastle Labour Society, which has existed for over 70 years, has been proudly promoting itself as the Socialist Society. The name is yet to be ratified by NUSU at the time of writing, but even stalwart Labour members have conceded in recent meetings that the Labour label is simply too toxic to attract leftist students at present.
On the other side of the aisle, Newcastle’s Conservative Society has had its own makeover, re-branding to the Conservative and Reform Society. Cyan flags adorned the top half of the old Conservative banner, signalling which party holds the majority stake in the reformed small-c conservative coalition. In the same vein, costly cashmere overcoats had been swapped for a more palatable Newcastle United shirt, and the currently controversial St George’s flag serving as a tablecloth lent the group a certain "faux common man" aesthetic.
The reason that both societies are distancing themselves from their parent parties is simple: both parties have alienated young, politically engaged students. Henry Bateson, President of the Conservative and Reform Society and a recent Reform UK convert, told me in personal correspondence that the name change is "keeping something alive on the right of politics [...] effectively attempting to be pragmatic and get the best of both world[s]". Jess Wilson, President of the Socialist Society and a new Green Party member, said that "it's important [...] for left-wing students to feel safe and socialise within university. The Labour Party name is no longer providing this for young people".
"If anything, the decline of party loyalty has invigorated student activism."
For Labour, despite the electoral promises of 'change', limited changes have cut through to the public that haven’t felt like a rightward shift. These include cutting disability benefits further than George Osborne ever dared to, restricting access to vital trans healthcare amidst soaring waiting lists that cost children their lives every week, and continuing to support Israel in its genocide of the Palestinian people. Simultaneously, the Conservatives have continued to implode since their disastrous loss last year, being outpaced and outperformed by Reform UK in almost every poll and local election. Badenoch, meanwhile, seems too distracted criticising “soggy bread" and autistic children to realise she's 'Kemi-kazeing' the Conservatives' credibility.
"the Socialist Society has nearly doubled its membership from last year following its name change..."
The consequent fallout was very much felt by both societies. Last year, neither of Newcastle’s party political groups exceeded sixteen members. Newcastle's Socialist Society did not stand alone in its disaffiliation, however, with it being the second of four major societies to break from Labour this Summer. The Conservative and Reform Society, too, is joining a small but growing series of other Reform Societies recently founded in the UK.
Yet despite the collapse of traditional party brands, student politics in Newcastle is far from dead. In fact, it’s thriving, just not under traditional party brands. Groups like Amnesty International Society and Plant-Based Universities are seeing healthy levels of retained engagement, the Socialist Society has nearly doubled its membership from last year following its name change, and the Tories and Reform Society said that their rebrand "allows us to have our 4 dinners a year."
If anything, the decline of party loyalty has invigorated student activism. Freed from the baggage of Westminster politics, Newcastle’s students are finding fresh ways to express their politics: through campaigns and causes that fully align with their values.
The message is clear: students haven’t turned their back on politics, they’ve just stopped settling for half measures.