Revealed: NUS omit Judaism from religion survey

Oh dear. Over the past few years, the National Union of Students has found itself in the headlines over the union’s relationship with Jewish students. When Malia Bouattia was elected NUS president in 2016, three vice presidents of the NUS accused their president of ‘anti-Semitic rhetoric’ – with Bouattia referring to Birmingham University as a ‘Zionist outpost’. An internal report later ruled that she should not be punished despite making comments found to be anti-Semitic. What’s more, a report just last year found that many Jewish students ‘do not feel their institution understands their needs’.

Since then – and with a new president now at the helm – there has been talk of a new era in campus relations after NUS officers held talks with a Jewish student leader.

So, Mr S was curious to learn of a survey sent to students this week. The NUS survey is part of a drive by the union to undertake research to understand the experiences of Muslim students in further and higher education.