View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
10 November 2010updated 14 Jul 2021 9:45am

Laurie Penny: The 15 best slogans from today’s student rally

"Is this the queue for Justin Bieber tickets?"

By Laurie Penny

The sun is shining brightly on Horse Guards Parade as 30,000 screaming students with drums, whistles and placards holler their disconcertion at the coming bonfire of public education and public services. The parade is heaving and a brass band is playing the Liberty Bell, and teenagers on their first ever protest are dancing in the streets.

This is more like it. A considered report will follow, but here, in the interim, are a selection of the best chants and placards:

1. LGBT caucus: We’re here! We’re queer! We can’t afford nine grand a year!

2. Hoodie-wearing sixth former with sign: Forget university, I can’t even afford college any more. Where’s my future?

3. Busted lookalike: This is not what I voted for!

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

4. Cortauld institute: Education is not a business! Keep your hands off my arts!

5. Man wearing a wig and suit made entirely from Monopoly notes: Do I look like I’m made of money? (see picture below)

6. Bath students: We are bath! We will march! (This one needs a bit of work).

7. Tiny teenager in a tutu with a megaphone: Marx was right! Marx was right all along!

8. Her friend’s banner: Scrap bonuses, not EMA, TWATS!!!

9. Socialist students: Tories! Putting the N in cuts!

10. Handpainted placard: If it’s Browne, flush it down!

Student protestor, 10 November 2010. Credit: Getty Images

11. Emo kid with sign: Is this the queue for Justin Bieber tickets?

12. Scotland: Gonnae no dae that!

13. Scotland: Free education – Scottish style not USA style!

14. London teenager with a placard: Fuck this, I’m moving to Scotland!

15. Polite hand-drawn slogan by Bath university student: I very much regret voting for the Lib Dems!

Content from our partners
Development finance reform: the key to climate action
Individually rare, collectively common – how do we transform the lives of people with rare diseases?
Future proofing the NHS

10 November 2010updated 09 Feb 2015 4:43pm

Laurie Penny: The 15 best slogans from today’s student rally

"Is this the queue for Justin Bieber tickets?"

By Laurie Penny

The sun is shining brightly on Horse Guards Parade as 30,000 screaming students with drums, whistles and placards holler their disconcertion at the coming bonfire of public education and public services. The parade is heaving and a brass band is playing the Liberty Bell, and teenagers on their first ever protest are dancing in the streets.

This is more like it. A considered report will follow, but here, in the interim, are a selection of the best chants and placards:

1. LGBT caucus: We’re here! We’re queer! We can’t afford nine grand a year!

2. Hoodie-wearing sixth former with sign: Forget university, I can’t even afford college any more. Where’s my future?

3. Busted lookalike: This is not what I voted for!

4. Cortauld institute: Education is not a business! Keep your hands off my arts!

5. Man wearing a wig and suit made entirely from Monopoly notes: Do I look like I’m made of money? (see picture below)

6. Bath students: We are bath! We will march! (This one needs a bit of work).

7. Tiny teenager in a tutu with a megaphone: Marx was right! Marx was right all along!

8. Her friend’s banner: Scrap bonuses, not EMA, TWATS!!!

9. Socialist students: Tories! Putting the N in cuts!

10. Handpainted placard: If it’s Browne, flush it down!

Student protestor, 10 November 2010. Credit: Getty Images

11. Emo kid with sign: Is this the queue for Justin Bieber tickets?

12. Scotland: Gonnae no dae that!

13. Scotland: Free education – Scottish style not USA style!

14. London teenager with a placard: Fuck this, I’m moving to Scotland!

15. Polite hand-drawn slogan by Bath university student: I very much regret voting for the Lib Dems!

Content from our partners
Development finance reform: the key to climate action
Individually rare, collectively common – how do we transform the lives of people with rare diseases?
Future proofing the NHS

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU