LABOUR YOUTH PLAN LOBBY ON JOBS

Vol. 7, No. 328 January 11, Fourpence • Labour Party's militant youth movement, will stage a mass lobby of parliament on February 11.

The lobby will demonstrate their anger at the high level of unemployment amongst young people and at the appalling conditions facing many of those who do have work.

Details of the lobby appeared for the first time in the 'Sunday Telegraph' on January 5.

Despite denials from Transport House, it seems clear that the Labour Party have clamped down on any publicity for the lobby and hope that it will pass off quietly, with little impact on the public.

SILENT

Approval of the lobby was given by the party's executive five weeks ago, but their press department, usually so quick to pump news of party activity to the papers, has remained strangely silent.

The decision to call the lobby is thought to mark a real breakthrough for the left wing in the Young Socialists and their spokesmen on the movement's Naional Committee.

One year ago this week-end, two Young Socialists' federations organised a 1,200-strong demonstration against unemployment, to the anger of Labour Pariy officials, who

promptly closed down and 'reorganised' the federations.

PRESSED

Since then, ignoring mounting threats from the right-wing bureaucrats, the Young Socialists have been pressing for official action on this problem.

When the left-wing members on their National Committee proposed an official lobby they faced bitter opposition from

New editor appointed of the Socialist Labour League has appointed Michael Banda as editor of the enlarged Newsletter which is to appear on February 8.

He is also to hold the position of Assistant Secretary of the Socialist Labour League and in both capacities he will be responsible for the development of the League's propaganda and agitation.

The National Committee also endorsed the appointments of a the minority right-wing spokesmen, who echo the adult party chiefs in their desire for a small, respectable, middle-class organisation.

When the suggestion went the party executive, however, was carried unanimously.

This was no sudden conversion to militancy. With a general election on the horizon, the executive feared yet another violent, public showdown with their youth movement, with another round of investigations and expulsions.

ATTRACT

The Labour Party is trying to attract the votes of young people and any suggestion of intolerance towards their own youth movement would be disastrous.

They preferred to accept the call for a lobby-and then to do everything possible to strangle it.

Coupled with the lack of publicity have been a series of 'do's and don'ts' sent. out to Young Socialists designed to ensure that as few as possible come to London.

According to Transport House, the main object of the exercise will be for gmall groups, at carefully worked-out times, to lobby MPs in committee rooms at the House of Commons.

SPOTLESS

Tory MPs will be the main target. Labour members apparently have a spotless record in the fight for jobs.

If the Labour Party has its way no one will be aware that the lobby is taking place.

But the Young Socialists seem certain to prove once again that they are not the junior yes-men of Wilson and company and will make the whole country well aware of the dreadful plight of thousands of young people on February team of professional iournalists who will assist in the production of what we hope will be a first-class socialist weekly newspaper.

The new press at our printers is now gradually coming into full production, which it is hoped will be reached when the enlarged Newsletter gets under way.

Money is very urgently needed for this great new socialist venture. Hundreds of appeals have gone out and we look forward to our readers giving us all the support they can in the next few weeks.

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