YOUNG SOCIALISTS CONFERENCE THE Labour Party conference, over Easter weekend, was a battle for ideas from beginning to end. time for many years, youth in action against and missiles, Revolution supporters spoke every debate pors building he LPYS building the LPYS_ based on mass action and the spirit of socialist Similar themes ran through all of the debates. The platform 'hammered out policies' explained how 'present events untold and read out horror stories about the rich and powerful and the misery of the poor.
out in call debate a political challenge emerged in opposition the crass reduction of all and Issues working conditions.
On the SDP, conference agreed on the seriousness of the threat to Ine abour maovement bul failed to analyse produced it and therefore how to defeat that threat.
Steve. a delegate trom Leeds North east summed up the debate this way: 'To be sure, to fight the SDP. the Labour Party needs a clear socialist programme, but conference fails recognise the need mobilise for action now against the Tories and the trade union bureaucrats as ine best way to deltal tile SDP.
Falklands raised its embarrassing head early on Saturday when a platform speech member Joan Maynard called for the withdrawal of the British fleet from the South Atlantic. The NC statement demanding socialism in Britain and Young Socialists For the first for women's rights and Argentina did not mention this elementary position.
John Cutts, delegate from Hazel move vanchester, explained RevoluSHODORICS VIeW the Falklands debate: 'The Militant tendency have taken a chauvinist demand for tion. Their for economic boycott of Argentina is forming united front with the imperialists. Argentina has the right to sovereignty. Socialists cannot support imperialism's aLtempt to keep its colonies.
'Militant's Stallillg point is their attempt to uild a Marxist Labour Party in Britain. We are building an international revolutionary party. They think they can afford mistakes on international questions. they don't realise is that Britain's imperial past is catching un with them The mistakes of the Militant tendency will lead them into the arms of the wrong Class.
Positive action was the issue which dominated the women's oppression discussion. The Newport composite resolution which supported positive action and the Labour Women's Festival Party was hotly contested by a succession of Militant supporters. The delegate from Newport, Ruth Haswell, said, 'Although Militant for the Ilas VUL festival in writing, there Newport denounced the Tories' war drive and called on clearly for defeat tion of it in the debate. I think that they are just going to waffle on about health care and how awful oppression is.
One Liverpool delegate believed that tion did not strike at the root of the problem women's oppression. 'You ism,' he said, 'any more Lnallyou legislate against racism, any more than you legislate against the common cold.
Fiona Rowan Fiona Rowan, delegate Birmcocoasion. Youth, AUEW delegate at for British imperialism But the conference went on to adopt a statement from National Committee which did not call for the recall of the British fleet! ingham YS, answered from the rostrum that the workers was already divided. an action programme bringing Wower into labour movement in order to unite the class.' The major success of the YS last year, the YOPs campaign, was fully aired. The platform made a comHitilicill demonstration in Liverpool on 16 October to protest youth training proposals. This action received unanimous support.
But the highlights of conference were the interdebates. On Icianu. on Lionism. Poland, disarmament and Reagan, delegates fought the platform for basic socialist internationalism. The Militant leadership of the YS were pressured into support for the Reagan mobilisations 6/7 June.
" T1 the conference, the LPYS to come out In the conflict the The battle on Ireland and Poland was not so successful. But an imperialist line was Jorce us presented Re chale supporters led challenge leadership which hesitated front tionalism and through its abstention on many of the mass actions of youth has no policy to confront the labour bureaucracy in Britain.
This fight by Revolution supporters, reflected march, present mainly outside the committed to the women's rights festival, the alLi Reagan march and the YOPs demonstration. This is a considerable step forward. Militant supporter commented, 'Revolution Youth bloody dangerous.' Too right. ed the fringe meeting go out and win support for the festival.
pointed the debate that through the YS. fight alone.
movement and not shut up at home' mobilise against Reagan.
Richard Rozanski, organisation Bernie ment. OVER A hundred people, mainly women, attendto discuss the 5 June Women's Festival. The meeting was an important step forward for the LPYS on women's rights, as all tendencies were united around the decision to Kerry Wade, Revolution Youth supporter, pinwill continue to run 'No one thinks that women can We have to win over the labour move. ment to our struggle with women in the lead.
'And that's why we're in favour of positive action on jobs to make sure women are in the labour ONE hundred and fifty people crammed a joint Labour CND/Youth CND fringe meeting. They heard a YS National Committee member make a commitment to do everything in the NC's power to CND, we med ans step eaving and aid outh speaking from policy for implementing the NC's position. Some speakers from the floor, reflecting Militant's position, claimed CND was a middle class and pacifist Cavanagh and Warren Kirk from Sheffield YS countered these points and showed the way to fight the pacifist tendencies of sections of the leadership of CND by building the move. Ann Henderson
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solidarity with El Salvador and Poland found their reflection in the YS conference.
On the fringes Festival
Campaign for Nuclear
REVOLUTION 5 June Women's