paper.
The left of the Labour Party has traditionally been indifferent to the Two members of LPYS regional committees, BERNIE WILDE DAVE SHEPHERD, writing in a personal capacity, have issued an open letter appealling for the left to break with this attitude and build a mass campaigning LPYS using the methods and policies which have built CND YCND, the women's liberation movement and the campaigns of the GLC.
TRACY DOYLE, GERRY KIRK and DAVE REES look at some of the campaigns and steps that are being taken to build this type Young Socialists.
Tories since the health workers strike in 1982 - the miners strike. A potential to interest young people in the biggest battle against the and democratic youth section, with its own lively and interesting youth reversed. Part and parcel of this is clearly building a strong, campaigning youth will have to be built up. have a hope in hell of defeating the Tories and the Alliance, support among of the YS remains at the feeble level of about 3000. If Labour is going to Labour Party Young Socialists is presently very weak. The real membership the LPYS. Drastic measures are needed. must organise now with YS members to make good ideas a reality and build would win many youth to the Labour Party and the LPYS. with Youth CND would not only boost support for the strike but The pathetically low vote for Labour at the last election must be There is an urgent need for a discussion on the left about youth. The Wishful thinking is not enough however. Activists in the Labour Party own decisions, to be democratic and independant. can and will build the LPYS, we must defend the right of the YS to make its interest and at worst proposing to cut our budget and trying to dictate what can and cannot be sold or distributed at YS events. This must stop. Socialists in the Labour Party must discuss and take part in actions that But the response of the Labour Party leadership is at best total lack of THE NO with it!
nothing programme.
politics.
SUPPORT LPYS POLGY NO COMPULSION system wing or too 'political' its budget will be sliced to stop it from saying anything. Secondly the attitude of many on the left of been to ignore the YS and leave the present leadership of the particularly expulsions can be tolerated. It is vital that in a witch hunt, whether it be a cut in the YS budget, dictats on organisation we have the right to make our policy decision way forward for youth. On the other hand, ignoring the I Why are these attitudes a problem? The main thing is th tens of thousands and it is to this task that the left must The conditions exist for the creation of an LPYS that direction to, the struggles that young people are involve such as CND, women's liberation, campaigns against r , and industrial struggles such as the miners strike. in the labour movement as a whole and would be cap overcome the apathy and hostility among a large sect It will be built only be involving itself in, and giving Such a campaigning YS would strengthen no end u building the YS and taking it out of the hands of th It will only be built, however, if the left as a who to just such a campaigning approach. Its ranks are There is a growing minority in the Young Soci Socialists. These are alongside support for the Law Jobs not committee member and Selly Oak DURING September, youth are thrown on to the dole West Midlands Labour Party Young Socialists will be organising a joint 'Anti-Trident, Jobs not Bombs' campaign draw- ing the link between neglected issue of Trident tain's very own nuclear weapons unemployment situation. mass youth demo and rally where there will be speakers from both the labour movement and the anti-missiles move- ment. We will be aiming our campaign The campaign will culminate in a Youth CND and the the much worsening as more - Bri-
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MATIS Photo: JOHN HARRIS