DEFEND THE LPYS DEFEND GIVEUS A FUTURE FUTURE GIVE USA the left. the cies. WHENEVER the right wing of Labour Party loses political argument it resorts to organisational attacks on the Nowhere is this vividly demonstrated than in its relations movements. Youth are always in the forefront of the fight for socialism. And today the pattern is repeated, as the witch hunters in the prepare an all-out assault on the LPYS.
Repeatedly the dominated NEC has moved to prevent youth movement conferences, stifle political debate, to prevent the youth heard. Repeatedly these tae their own heard. tics have just further alienated youth and ensured domination of Marxist tendenThe first Labour Youth ment, the Labour League of Youth, was set up in 1926: it had an age limit of 26, and was promised annual conHowever it was 1929 that the League was allowed its tirst conterence.
nave inal the was right.' and became involved in against the fascists and the struggle more against the means test, and as a resull grew in size. youth members in 440 branches -campaigning paid political fight over the united front gathering steam led by Stafford Cripps, ting the united front, and a large majority inside the Youth League also right- supported it. But New Nation staunchly opposed it. evitably — was that the youth began to seek a political voice of their own. First duplicated voices Youth Forum, was disagreement over political line eventually led to the setting up of two youth papers on the left the vance and Youth Militant former sympathising more with the political line of the Communist Party move- (with Ted Willis as its leading light)
and une later more renecung trot skyist ideas.
But the supporters of New Ad vance were much the stronger of the UNLI two trends of thought. conference of the League the Naown tional Advisory electea was cominaica by supporiels of New Advance. This political move to the left was totally unacceptable to The the Labour for reflected a alive, campaigning and growing.
At the 1936 Labour ference prepared, and passed, disbanding the NAC, closing down New Nation and lowering the age limit League responded by in now 'unofficial' New Advance the 'official' paper of the League Eventually agreed with the difficulty of 'unofficial' fashion While the LLY was allowed to continue in existence, an Administrative officer would be appointed by the NEC and the NEC would appoint an LLY NAC of 'appropriate persons'. Meanwhile, 'united front' over the 'Popular Front' the rightward moving never Communist Party STOLE Tories, the church wingers - anyone who would join in to oppose fascism. This debate now can we?' and usually he The League became more active Led itself. ropulal Cripps and By March 1934 there were 25,000 • socialist off But the the the Socialist League, ference was supporThe result inaisrupuion magazine, produced. But - New Adthe bureaucrats' At the 1936 instated was branches. however Committee (NAC)
bureaucrats; but which was Party conmemorandum was following the NAC and making Transport House, after operating In an became clear.
, the debate over the had become a debate - thanks to line The Popular include progressive and other right rent the Labour Party.
In May 1937 the Socialist Leagu had been proscribed and had dissol But in 1938 independer rront candidate. some local elections, and Staffor other left wingers sup ported the Popular Front candidates Cripps, Bevan and others were expel ed from the Labour Party: and at th same time the LLY was attacked -the NAC was suspended and its cor cancelled. Transport Hous had in effect crushed the League. It history in this pre-war period was on of continuous problems in buildin an ettective campagning vouth mov ment, because of the rigid control an the outreacta Transport House.
After the war branches of the LL' began to re-form. The 1946 Labou conference formally recognised th League, but its age limit was set onc again at 21, to deprive it of any ex perienced leaders. It was not to hav national Or This once again conformed to th ideal: to 'organise youth as valuable fodder for electio time activities but not to allow ther any meaningful political role.
At the 1948 conference of th Labour Party a resolution was move by lan Mikardo which proposed tha the League should become an effec tive national structure. But very littl was done to implement this resolu tion. In-fighting between the Leagu and the NEC continued, with th establishment of a 'national statu movement' to get the 1948 resolutio implemented in full Wandsworth branch of th League convened an unofficial con ference in June 1950, attended by 30 people. As a result Wandsworth wa disbanded, but after protests was re Eventually in September 1950 i announced that the Leagu would be granted its own conference When it met, it was revealed that th League had 25,000 members in 82 The conference was no able discuss politica Once again the political debate in This year's LPYS conference
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_PYS NEWESTLE WEST IS