Students will be marching this Saturday as part of a united opposition against this inept and untrustworthy Tory government, writes Chris Adair

I study at university because, despite the challenges that students have had to put up with this year, we need to begin the process of rebuilding, creating new opportunities and training a new generation. But if the UK post-pandemic is anything like the status quo, what is the point?

Beginning from the perspective of young people, those who choose university are neglected by their institutions and forced into debt, whilst those relying on apprenticeships are failed for a lack of opportunity and investment, having to travel far from their family and friends.

Our schools and colleges are turned into exam factories, with students being harassed by ill-thought through programs like Prevent whilst youth services and extra-curricular opportunities are stripped from their reach.

Working and elderly people have it no better. The contracting out of or complete cut of so many of our social services has created a divided and harsh society, one where the ability to provide such sacrosanct things as a safe home, food and medical care seems more like a wild dream than a basic expectation of the state.

Boris talks about building back better, but it is working individuals who will be the ones behind it – why should they continue to put up with this insecurity, debt, and bad working conditions in a future that might not even exist due to successive governments’ failures to address climate change with the urgency required.

The problems we face today are not of our making – they lie with government ministers who have so far shown themselves to be inept, untrustworthy and totally disconnected from reality. They are using the state and our political system purely for their own interests, with no intention or desire to address the aforementioned problems.

I will attend Saturday’s People’s Assembly demonstration against this, because through displaying our unity and collectively raising our voice, we can bring about a new era of politics which centres on governing to address issues, not create and exacerbate them.

Join the People’s Assembly demonstration this Saturday, assembling at 12pm outside the BBC on Portland Place