We’re known as one of the oldest Students’ Unions in the UK (founded in 1897), as well as being one of the most politically active. We have a wealth of history in campaigning, elevating the student experience at LSE and bringing fun to campus.


Our timeline

  • The Students' Union is founded.

  • Founded the Clare Market Review journal. This was brought back to life in 2008.

  • Expanded range of societies and sports clubs, with the support of LSE acquiring Berrylands Sports Ground.

  • We bought our first premises, the Three Tuns Bar.

  • The Athletics Union (AU) was created, as a constituent body of the Union.

  • The Beaver newspaper was established.

  • We caused a bit of stir with LSE student riots in 1966-67 and 1968-69.

    The President of the Students’ Union at the time, David Adelstein, protested against the appointment of Walter Adams as Director of LSE, and was then suspended. Following a student hunger strike in opposition of the move, the decision was reversed.

  • Student occupations at LSE to secure the LSE Nursery.

    We changed the name of 'President' to 'General Secretary', for the leading student representative of the Union.

    Raising and Giving (RAG) week activities were set up by Tim Barnett (the future New Zealand MP).

  • The start of a very long campaign for students to be able to resit their examinations in summer as opposed to having to repeat another year.

  • Alongside students, cleaner and academics we campaigned to secure a Living Wage for cleaners on campus.

  • Our students voted to divest from fourteen listed arms companies, but the campaign to lobby LSE still continues.

  • We campaigned to save the LSE Nursery from closures (and we’re back at it again in 2020).

  • LSE students staged a protest against the university's association with the Gaddafi regime in Libya.

    They requested that £300,000 of the £1.5billion funds received by Gaddafi, were paid back, and instead used for scholarships for Libyan students.

  • Opened the first new building at LSE (for almost 40 years) - the Saw Swee Hock centre, home of LSESU.

  • LSESU successfully closed a long-standing campaign for resits, and LSE agreed to enact summer resits.

Site design by Elliot Parker.