Recession impacts elections

Students at Warwick feel that the SU should do as much as possible to target the recession. A straw poll carried out with 100 students at Warwick over the course of Monday Afternoon, indicated that a majority of students are concerned about how the recession will affect their lives and want the Union to do something about the rising cost of living.

First year students were most concerned with 75 per cent responding that they wanted the SU to do something about the recession. Third year students felt the least concerned with 34 per cent of them responding that they wanted the Union to tackle the affects of the recession though that was still their biggest concern. The Union Deficit was a key concern for second years and third years, with a the SU currently in the red by £750,000, 26 per cent and 31 per cent respectively stating their concern. The Environment was an issue for second years in particular, 22 per cent stated it as the most important issue to them, no first years responded with environmental action as an important issue. The National Union of Students was perhaps a surprisingly important issue also for students, with 14 per cent of third years making it their most important concern ranking it higher than the environment. Fourth year students also made it their second most important issue, 22 per cent of them responding that it was something the Union needed to tackle.

All the candidates have featured the recession in their campaigns and each has offered to help fighting the rising cost of living for students. This poll indicates that this will be an important battleground along with the deficit for potential voters.