Echoing many groups on the political left, the NUS has suffered a PR disaster over the past couple of years. The Union has been bludgeoned for its Orwellian attitude towards free speech, even by the darlings of the old student left – notably Peter Tatchell and Germaine Greer . This trend hasn’t ceased and, following the election of 28 year-old Malia Bouattia as President of the NUS, the reputation of the organisation has been further tarnished.

The most damaging verbal projectiles have accused the new leader of being an anti-Semite. These were hurled after reporters revealed that Bouattia had referred to the University of Birmingham (an institution which she attended) as a “Zionist outpost” . Add numerous disaffiliation referendums that are currently being held at universities across the country, and the NUS seems to be in the midst of an existential crisis.

Yet, many of the torchbearers of the anti-NUS revolution aren’t especially, or at least exclusively, concerned with Bouattia. Rather, they believe the NUS has been orbiting towards disaster for a number of years. In the eyes of many disaffiliation campaigners, the organisation has wilfully ventured beyond student affairs, and has generated needless controversy by debating issues that are frivolous, if not outright absurd.