dependence. In such a bour students a represituation the Left are sentative on Labour's once again taking con- National Executive trol of Labour's youth Committee. groups e.g. in Man- In the days of the chester, Southampton LPYS in the 1980's, youth in the Labour Blalr's bables have Party had additionally to resort to whining to delegates on GC's officials to maintain and their own paper. their positions in YL. They also had regional However there is a conferences and re need to fight for more glonal committees. democracy inside YL The grouping together of youth in one rently YL's only real in- large city into one YL put into policy-making group severs the link is electing with young between youth trade-unlonists and La- group's and constitufrom CAIAB and dem- nti-union laws onstrate for the right have been used to Asylum. agalnst roads-protesters at Newbury. Seven people were Get Active! arrested under a Tory Liberation Act of 1992, for allegedly preventing people wants views getting to work, by and reports locking themselves to from YL - write lorries carrylng plant to us now.. vehicles for the bypass.
This development shows such catch-all legislation is a threat to all campaigners, and not just trade unlonists. It's another argument for the repeal of all Britain's anti-unIon laws which under the Torles have become the most repressive in Europe.
• Jonathan Joseph Miners' leader Ar Ithur Scarglll has left the Labour Party to set up his own Socialist Labour Party (SLP).
To some this will seem a positive move.
No one in their right mind could possibly argue socialist. And Scargill has made a point of supporting some of the single issue campaigns, like roads protests, that young peo ple are invoived in.
However. we believe Scargill's project is wrong and will fail.
Scargill's break from Labour is premature. He argues that the Labour Party was defined by Clause Four of the constitution. Blair's ditching of this CommitMent Cooll ownership made up Scargill s mina. This shows how Scargill had real illusions in Labour.
That's why he repeats many of the old mistakes, embracing narrow electoralist portics wit musions in parliament.
Clause Four never defined the Labour Party. It nas never been une socialist party that Scargill has not removed this link. claims. The Labour Party He will try to - wnien is important because of means that it is all the its links with the working more important to stay in class and the trade un- the party and fight. ions. Despite the defeats A Labour government over Clause Four and in- will come under pressure Blair because of these links. СШЬ 111 AA1217A The majority of the working class will vote for this government and will raise demands on it. This is the best way to defeat Blair's project. Scargill has cut himself off from these people. His SLP will-not have anything like the same links with the working class, so his 'left' rhetoric will be fruitless.
Yes, the Labour Party is very off putting. The left is weak and the politics are are more decisive struggles to be waged by the labour movement. These campaigns are often rather limited in scope, both in terms of ambition and effect. At least the Labour Party provides a perspective that links several issues. And in Young Labour it is possible to engage in a more rounded political discussion. We must link up single issue campaigns to the fight against Blair inside the Labour Party. The real difference will oe made oy trade union struggles. These will make themselves felt inside the Labour Party. inal Is wny socialists die there. Socialists inside Labour need to actively support such struggles and raise their own left demands. We should fight both Blair and the Tories simulThis fight should cover common turgid. But it is also wrong ownership, defence of to claim tnere are lots of public services, full emradical things going on ployment, a minimum amongst single issue and wage, the repeal of the youth campaigns. anti-union laws and the Scargill wants to relate Criminal Justice Act. to these. Although they Unfortunately, Scargill's cannot be ignored, there SLP is not up to this task.
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