Candidate Comment: Steve Gray

Steve Gray stood as candidate for the role of Participation and Development Officer, for which he was ultimately unsuccessful. Here he shares his thoughts on the elections.

The first thing I’d like to do is thank everyone who supported me in the election campaign. To come so close (10 votes in the end) to getting the spot given the situation was testament to the faith they had in me, so thank you all.

The one thing struck me when I was read the results of the elections and that was the turnout. 459? That’s pitifully low. Depressingly so, even. That is why we needed people with experience and drive to take the positions on offer and, unfortunately, we only have a couple of people who fit that bill actually elected into office.

I am still astounded that people who don’t put any posters up and show no visible signs of campaigning can get elected into office. This occurs through what I like to call the ‘society effect’, or in laymen’s terms, a popularity contest. It’s more to do with who you know than what you have to offer and that’s a factor as to how the people with competition actually won.

I wish Tarequl all the best with his role as Participation and Development Officer because it isn’t going to be a stroll in the park, as is evident from the election turnout. Students just don’t care about the Union and he has to work to counter that. We shall find out whether he can fulfil his commitments and hopefully make more time for the job he is going to be paid to do than he did talking to students or attending hustings.

I shall deal with this setback by concentrating on the continuing development of the student magazine and shall come back even stronger for next year’s elections.