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The NUS has abandoned its commitment to full student grants, bringing the possibility of student contributions a step closer and ushering in a new era of consensus politics. A record 1,500 delegates at its conference in Blackpool voted this week to drop the union's 16-year-old policy commitment to return grants to 1979 levels. The union firmly rejected the politics of occupation and conflict in favour of building a new centre-left consensus between polticians, educationsts and unions.

The policy change was reflected in the election of Labour Students' presidential candidate Douglas Trainer, who defeated Clive Lewis, who advocated a return to full grants and free education, by 586 to 458 votes.