Violent protests against higher fees last autumn appeared to herald a new era of student radicalism. But just a term later students have voted against another demonstration in September and are likely to elect a moderate to lead their national union today.
Shane Chowen and Liam Burns, both centre-left candidates, are the front-runners to be president of the National Union of Students, leaving the more extreme Socialist Workers Party candidate third in the field. Mark Bergfeld, a long-term student activist, had hoped to harness the revived radical sentiment to secure the presidency. But a motion, tabled by Mr Bergfeld, calling