Photos by Mael Le Paih
By Oliver Hanlon
In what was supposed to be a routine vote, members present at Cardiff University’s Student Union’s annual general meeting delivered a shock result, choosing not to renew the union’s affiliation with the NUS.
Sabbatical officer Joshua Tandy’s argument that “we need to be in the union to change it” was ineffective to dissuade the AGM from beginning a process that could see CUSU formally disaffiliating from the NUS later this year. There will likely be another vote later this year on whether CUSU will officially break from the NUS.
Speakers against extending the affiliation with the NUS claimed that it was not adequately representing students’ interests or being effective as a union, citing an occasion when the NUS threatened action against members who signed an open letter expressing concern over the NUS’s silence on Gaza. These criticisms were met with thunderous applause and seemed to sway the room against voting to affiliate with the NUS.
In October, Cambridge University students voted to formally disaffiliate with the NUS on similar grounds in a referendum vote.
Could Cardiff University students be the next to hold a referendum on NUS affiliation and the next students’ union to disaffiliate?
The vote in the AGM does not formally disaffiliate CUSU from the NUS, but it does show a significant appetite for leaving; whether or not that appetite extends to the wider student body is yet to be seen.
It is also not known what a referendum on leaving the NUS would look like, or what turnout and margin of votes would be needed to make a binding vote on cutting ties with the NUS. When Cambridge held a referendum on the same issue, they required a quorum (turnout) of 2000 votes, with the actual turnout being 3,775 students and votes to disaffiliate winning by a margin of 488 votes.
What would leaving the NUS entail?
CUSU pays an affiliation fee of £38,370 to the NUS annually, which is not a significant portion of the union’s income. If CUSU does not renew its affiliation, it will no longer have to pay this. Cardiff students would no longer be able to influence the political direction of the NUS or its campaigns. Cardiff students would no longer be represented by the NUS nationally, including its lobbying efforts towards the UK Government and the Welsh Senedd and would no longer have access to NUS training or events.
If CUSU disaffiliates, Cardiff students will not lose eligibility to visit other Students’ Union bars or take advantage of discounts. Entry to other SU venues is governed by local licensing rules, not NUS affiliation status. Furthermore, access to the TOTUM discount card (The NUS student discount scheme) is entirely separate from CUSU’s membership in the NUS.
A NUS Cymru Spokesperson told Gair Rhydd:
“Cardiff Students vote annually during their Annual General Meeting to confirm their National Union of Students’ affiliation. By not voting to confirm affiliation, Cardiff University Students’ Union now have a referendum on membership to NUS next year.”
Deio Owen, NUS Cymru President, added:
“Maintaining membership is key to ensuring that students at Cardiff University are represented nationally in Wales, the UK and wider afield. NUS has been continually working to push the Welsh Government to better support students financially, create an education sector that supports students, and ensure students have access to great SUs. We have been, and are committed to continuing, working alongside your Sabbatical officer team to work on your priorities based on the issues your SU has raised with us.”
“As we approach a Senedd election in May 2026, it is crucial that Students are united, being a strong voice for students to push for better rights, support and protections as we elect the next Welsh Government.”