LeadMCR 2025: Breaking down candidate ‘ideas statements’

Are you confused about who to vote for in this year’s election? Take a look at our digestible breakdown of each candidate’s statements. 

Read the full statements on the Students’ Union website here.

Union Affairs:

This year is a head-to-head between two previous officers: Emily Bennett and Lexie Baynes. Emily was the Liberation and Access officer in 2021 whilst Lexie is the incumbent Union Affairs officer. Both idea statements focus on developing ‘third spaces’ for socialising. However, the two candidates differ on student support. Bennett wants better communication and grants, while Baynes suggests renovation and student support packages. 

Emily Bennett:

1. Creating ‘spaces to belong’ like free ‘third spaces’.
2. Affordable activities and pushing for more SU grants. This would include the development of ‘sporticipate’.
3. Develop better communication between mitigating circumstances, the wellbeing team, and academic advisors. 

Lexie Baynes:

1. Renovating accommodation, the Main Library, and the Stopford building whilst also providing more ‘third spaces’ for students.
2. Lobby for more student support packages, lower campus food costs and develop more financial support for all. They are particularly focused on removing financial barriers faced by international students
3. Community meals for international students, drop-in sessions and working with Mayor Andy Burnham to lobby for lower bus prices.

Activities and Culture:

There are four candidates for Activities and Culture this year, with one incumbent. 

Both Daniel Garvin and Charlie Roberts focus on supporting international students with Garvin suggesting lobbying for more integration during welcome week and Roberts suggesting a range of measures that would support students. 

Roberts, Xueri Han and Aaina Mohapatra want more funding schemes. All candidates have suggested some form of community integration through cultural events, information exchanges, or community building.

Daniel Garvin:

1. Develop creative opportunities for students. This would include the expansion of ‘Alive! Festival and renovating the SU theatre [Renovations for the SU Theatre are already underway].
2. Streamline the SU room booking system.
3. Lobby for more international student events during welcome week.

Xuerui Han:

1. Celebrating different cultures and developing transparency/communication.
2. Build stronger connections between student leaders and the rest of the student body. This would be done via monthly newsletters and Q&A sessions.
3. Encourage student involvement through activities and programmes.

Aaina Mohapatra:

1. SU-backed microloan systems for students to borrow small amounts and then pay them back in instalments. 
2. Introduce a reviewing system on the SU website for societies. This would allow students to anonymously review a society.
3. A ‘University Families’ program where 2 second-years would pair with 2 first-years (from diverse backgrounds) to provide guidance and help integrate new students.

Charlie Roberts:

1. Introduce support packages for international students from conflict zones or on humanitarian scholarships. Also, lobby for more support and oppose the tracking of international students with SEaTs.
2. Establish “The Societies Forum”. Develop more training, workshops for society leaders, and democratic voting for societies. Additionally, lobby the university for more fund-it money.
3. Give power to the students by opposing rent increases, supporting student campaigning (working with trade unions as well), and “lobby the university to cut ties with the genocide in Palestine”.

City and Community:

City and community officer has had 7 applicants this year, with an incumbent officer vying for the role. 

Elliot Briffa and Humaira Hussain both mention pro-Palestine causes in their statement, particularly plans to hold the University accountable. There was a theme of political activism in Blake Cooper’s ideas and campaigning in Michael Hrycek-Robinson’s list of potential changes. 3 of the 7 candidates mention further partnerships with the local community and 5 of 7 mention various cost-of-living measures. 

Blake Cooper:

1. Work with the council to get a “fairer deal on everything from bus passes to council tax”.  [Households where everyone is a full-time student do not have to pay Council Tax].
2. Encourage students to become more active in local politics and campaigning.
3. Cut down time spent at Student Leadership events.

Elliott Briffa:

1. Develop a long-term rent pricing strategy to bring rent prices down (with ‘rent stabilisation’ introduced) to a level that fits NUS definitions of affordability.
2. Lobby the University to enact ‘Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions’ policies across campus in relation to “the genocide of Palestinians”.
3. Utilise the ‘Strike Fund’ (money taken from lecturers who participated in UCU industrial action) to subsidise student membership of trade unions. Also, hold workplace training.

Humaira Hussain:

1. Raise awareness of local charities and community resources with the plan to encourage student participation.
2. Spread accessible resources (such as pamphlets) about housing rights and introduce housing advice sessions.
3. Support free speech and student protest. Additionally will work to hold the University accountable for its “ethical responsibilities” concerning the “genocide of Palestinians and the occupation of Palestinian land”.

James Cunliffe:

1. Improve transport by decreasing congestion. 
2. Collaborate with institutions to provide accessible social spaces to ease the burden of the cost-of-living crisis.
3. Ensure students have a voice, especially those who face challenges and exclusion. This would include outreach and group collaboration.

Leon Hughes:

1. Implement security measures such as better street lighting, CCTV, security patrols and anti-spiking measures. Advocate the Safe Walk and Night Bus initiative. 
2. Expand ‘Rate your Landlord’. Push for stronger tenant rights and fairer rent policies. Also, expand current food initiatives.
3. Strengthen the link between students and the local community working with city leaders and mental health services to remove barriers to support.

Michael Hrycek-Robinson:

1. Increase bus route capacity whilst creating new routes between the University and Fallowfield.
2. Introduce keycard-protected bike shelters across campus and University accommodation.
3. Form a panel of representatives from campaign/advocacy societies and unions to meet to discuss student issues.

Nimrah Imran:

1. Work with Greater Manchester Police, University security and public transport to improve student safety.
2. Push for grants and bursaries to support low-income students with housing costs. At the same time, fight for University accommodation rent to be lowered. 
3. Improve the affordability and accessibility of transport. 

Wellbeing and Liberation:

This year, the role of Wellbeing and Liberation officer has 5 candidates. No incumbent is running for the role as Aisha Akram has served the two-term limit. 

Jess Watson, Kai Prince and Lorna Zhang Ran focus on accessibility measures and policies. Mental health is also a common theme with three out of five candidates mentioning new measures. Finally, four candidates mention financial aid and ways to ease the burden of the cost of living. 

Jess Watson:

1. Further accessibility measures with non-teaching ‘mental health’ weeks after exams, increasing the number of gender-neutral toilets and ensuring BSL interpreters as a DASS standard.
2. Lobby for University accommodation to fit the NUS definition of affordability and increase bursaries whilst lowering international student fees.
3. Focus on student autonomy with an overhaul of the ‘Report and Support’ system and making funds more accessible to student campaigns. 

Kai Prince:

1. More open collaboration with students to encourage diversity, inclusion and accessibility. 
2. Create guidance on the minimum legal requirements for teaching accessibility, in consultation with disabled students. Also, remove admin fees and shorten admin delays. 
3. Improve equality training to include cross-cultural and employability skills.

Jade Robinson:

1. Increase funding for mental health services to reduce wait times.
2. Better financial aid for students. 
3. More protests and better education about current conflicts (including war in Syria and “the aftermath of the Palestinian war”).

Lorna Zhang Ran:

1. Free period products, subsidized food, and affordable transport options. [The University already provide free period products in 100 toilets on campus. The Students’ Union also provides free period products]. 
2. Monthly “Liberation forums” to push for change.
3. 24/7 study “safe spaces” and late-night public transport.

Sharon Mary Dominic Raj:

1. Develop mental health services with shorter waits, drop-in sessions and customised care for marginalised groups.
2. Campaign for further financial student assistance, more free food like breakfast and reasonably priced accommodation. 
3. Decolonise university policies and establish cultural/religious venues. Also providing training on “allyship and anti-discrimination”. 

Postgraduate Research:

There are five candidates for the role of Postgraduate Research Officer this year, with no incumbent running for a second term. The incumbent, Adil Ashraf, decided to make this the only part-time role available. 

All five candidates tackle the idea of wellbeing, with two specifically emphasising the idea of improving a sense of ‘community’. There is a recurring mention of improved networking and professional opportunities (appearing in three out of five idea statements). Both Rachel Miller and Reem Alghusun suggest a need for a better desk allocation system. 

Avinash Powar:

1. Better mental health and academic support for postgraduate students, including sports tournaments and social activities.
2. More professional development opportunities such as career workshops and entrepreneurship programmes. 
3. Improved research and academic support, including more funding and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Mohammad Rafi:

1. Introduce an “award contest” to encourage and motivate researchers, including a “best ideas” award. 
2. Better funding and well-being assistance to reduce financial barriers for self-funded and international students. 
3. Career and research development support with workshops focused on AI training, and networking opportunities. 

Phumza Sokhetye:

1. Improved “feedback and assessment management” with clearer timelines and support. 
2. Strengthen emotional and wellbeing support, including peer support groups and postgraduate-specific counselling.
3. Build a connective and inclusive community, with postgraduate socials and networking opportunities. 

Rachel Miller:

1. ‘Bridge the gaps’ between postgraduate students and the ‘organisations designated to support them’. 
2. Lobby to improve and increase the resources available to postgraduates, such as funding and desk space. 
3. Prioritise wellbeing and “champion” postgraduate voices to the “highest level of the university” to create a holistic approach to supporting postgraduate students. 

Reem Alghusun:

1. Enhance professional development and career support, including workshops, training, networking, and establishing relationships with external organisations to increase internship opportunities. 
2. Build community to reduce loneliness through monthly networking events, social activities, and peer mentorship programmes. 
3. Improve desk allocations with a transparent booking system and increase the number of desks. 

Faculty of Humanities:

This position has the most candidates this year, with 8 applicants. The incumbent, Katie Jackson, is not running as she has served the two-term limit. Six out of eight candidates have proposed an improvement to academic feedback, making this the most widely discussed issue. Another recurring idea was enhanced employability, with half of candidates mentioning this. 

Abhilasha Tyagi:

1. Foster inclusivity and well-being by creating safe and inclusive spaces and addressing the needs of underrepresented communities. 
2. Strengthen academic collaboration and student education with mentorship programmes, and forums for students and faculty to collaborate on course methodologies and curriculum.
3. Create “open communication channels” to empower student engagement and advocacy. 

Alec Severs:

1. Prioritise accessible and student-led education by allowing students to tailor their education and improve resource access. 
2. Implement ethical practices by lobbying the university to cut ties with controversial institutions (e.g. Tel Aviv University) and increase the capacity of the decolonisation team. 
3. Equip students with knowledge of tenant and worker’s rights, as well as employment information and placement opportunities. 

Athena Thomas:

1. Standardise and prepare academic advisors, and introduce a system to help students find employment both during and after their studies. 
2. Have more cohesive, relevant modules with standardised coursework/exams. 
3. Standardise the joint honours programme. 

Ellie Eckersley:

1. Recentre student voice in decision making with improved accessibility and diversity in academic and pastoral support, assessment, and facilities. 
2. Improve assessment methods and teaching quality, including faster assessment returns and a more even spread of assessments throughout the academic year. 
3. Improve employability with increased access to placements. 

Evelyn Fong:

1. Improve a sense of belonging and inclusivity by fostering a more inclusive environment and social events across departments. 
2. Improve wellbeing support with better publicity of wellbeing services and better communication between students and support services. 
3. Improve assessment marking with consistent guidance. 

Isadora Wood:

1. Change assessment methods to include more podcasts and journals. 
2. Effective, more relevant feedback for students. This includes changing mark schemes and giving lecturers flexibility. 
3. Tailored career support with timetabled sessions for all years, CV workshops, and application advice sessions. 

Tazwar-Bin Saleh:

1. Enhanced career support with industry-specific workshops and specialised career counselling, internship partnerships, and talks from alumni. 
2. Build better academic techniques and feedback systems with standardised systems and diverse assessment methods. 
3. Better integration for international students with better mental health support and counselling. 

Jonah Willitts:

1. Fix “frustrating” academic support by making feedback faster and higher quality, as well as replacing the academic advisor system with an “enjoyable and personable alternative”, and increasing support for minorities. 
2. Cut the colonial curriculum and introduce modules on anti-colonial struggles. 
3. “Make Manchester a home for all” with better communication and transparency, a review of visa check-in systems, and holding the university to account for its social and environmental goals. 

Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health:

There are six candidates running this year, including the incumbent Gabrielle Bailey. 

Mental health and wellbeing services are mentioned most often (by five out of six candidates), while employability and assessment feedback also feature as popular ideas. 

Adella Tobing:

1. Free evening meals in the Stopford Building during exams. 
2. Stronger pastoral support from academic tutors, with regular check-ins. 
3. More mental health and disability support, including peer mentoring, help with the DASS sign-up process, and trained mental health professionals.

Gabrielle Bailey:

1. Cost of living support with free exam breakfasts, cosy campus spaces, and financial support. 
2. Improved accessibility and visibility of mental health services. 
3. Improve the PASS system with more student/staff interaction, and introduce peer support for postgraduates. 

Johanna Olaniyi:

1. Fix feedback issues, such as lack of clarity, and make feedback deadlines faster. 
2. Improve access to academic mentoring, study resources, and career opportunities (networking events and workshops).
3. Improve well-being services, introduce peer support spaces, and work with faculty to better balance independent and taught study. 

Maliah Idow:

1. Make feedback more detailed with post-assignment drop-in sessions, CV workshops, and peer-led skills sessions. 
2. Improve support for international students by creating safe spaces and culturally sensitive mental health services. 
3. Workshops on budgeting and affordable living. 

Michael Magwira:

1. Expand access to scholarships, funding, and industry placement. 
2. Strengthen support systems for students and make access to resources easier. 
3. Form an inclusive and engaged community by increasing representation, student-led initiatives, and policies that reflect diverse voices. 

Rhi Patel:

1. “Fight” for more, and better maintenance of, study spaces; push for longer opening hours of the Stopford library during exam season; advocate for a fairer grading system. 
2. Advocate for more student-led activism (with specific mention of the Free Palestine movement), strengthen links between societies and academic departments, and make ethics modules mandatory. 
3. Expand and simplify access to the student hardship fund, improve the transition between academic years, and push for more help with graduate job opportunities. 

Faculty of Science and Engineering:

There are six candidates, including Nahid Farzalizadeh, the incumbent. The candidates offer a varied range of ideas. The most common is employability, which is mentioned by three out of six. 

Amrit Dhillon:

1. Resolve issues with timetabling, perhaps with a new system and earlier release of exam timetables. 
2. Raise awareness of the unit survey feedback system. 
3. Improve the quality of support provided by lecturers by listening to students and implementing relevant staff training. 

Bashirunnisa Ananya:

1. Empower student voices by focusing on communication between the university leadership and students. 
2. Recognise academic and extracurricular excellence with awards for top scorers. 
3. Encourage innovation and creativity through a “creative idea contest”. 

Dominic Councilhan:

1. Directly aid students with employment with more internship funding, publicity on employment schemes, and careers fairs. 
2. Better communication between the university and students. 
3. Foster a “culture of inclusivity” to ensure minority groups feel heard and supported. 

Minahil Tariq:

1. Help students with the cost of living crisis by providing free breakfast days, commuter funds, scholarships, and employment. 
2. Solve “time poverty” by introducing napping spaces, shorter time between classes, and classes remaining in the school’s building.
3. Improve assessment feedback by allowing a sheet of notes in the exam room, clearer timelines for feedback, and more transparency in marketing criteria. 

Nahid Farzalizadeh:

1. Improve student employability by continuing to bring industry projects into coursework and dissertations. 
2. Develop new scholarship opportunities, alongside the “sustainable solutions” scholarship she is already working on. 
3. Improve student support by introducing a “Transition Welcome Pack” for new students, which she is already working on. 

Sufiyan Shaik:

1. Enhance student support and mental health well-being by pushing for easier access to resources and peer support networks. 
2. Introduce workshops, networking events, and industry collaboration to enhance employability. 
3. Create a diverse range of social, cultural and professional events that cater to all students.