Socialist Party youth meeting: ready to build a fightback

Around 40 people attended an excellent Socialist Party national youth meeting on Saturday 5 June. Sarah Sachs-Eldridge from the Socialist Party executive committee introduced the first discussion concerning the new British government, the latest stages of the world financial crisis, and how socialists can help to build a fightback against cuts to working class and young people's jobs and services.

Michael Wrack, Hackney Socialist Party

Many people at the meeting took part in this discussion that covered subjects including: the threat that academy schools pose to young people, to workers' rights and to any democratic control over education; how young people may respond to calls for action against the ConDem cuts; the likelihood of explosive movements among young people in response to attacks on higher and further education; the Israeli state's occupation and blockade of Palestine; challenging the racist far-right, including the British National Party, over issues that affect working class people; and how socialists can help to initiate united action among young trade unionists.

The disillusionment with the Lib Dem party among a layer of young people following May's general election was spoken about. It was thought unlikely that Labour can be reclaimed to represent working class people instead of big business.

The discussion showed how many campaigns young Socialist Party members are currently involved in, not just through taking part, but also by playing an important role in taking these campaigns forward by putting forward the Socialist Party's ideas.

After an extended break to take part in the Gaza demo in central London, the meeting reconvened for the organisational session which was introduced by Socialist Party national youth organiser Ben Robinson. Ben spoke on the importance of understanding how young people are affected by both the actions of the British government and events internationally, and how they will take part in building mass campaigns to respond effectively to the situations that they face.

The Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) campaign is an example of building such a movement which increasingly is being seen as the most important initiative against rising youth unemployment [see page 5 for more news about YFJ].

Major struggles are also likely to develop among university students and workers when, in September, further cuts to jobs and courses are expected to be announced alongside a probable increase in fees. The opposition movement which developed at Sussex University, in which Socialist Party members played a pivotal role as part of the 'Stop the Cuts' campaign against savage attacks on jobs, courses and services, is likely to be repeated nationally.

Thanks to discussions that gave a clear analysis of current political events and shared campaigning experiences and ideas, young Socialist Party members feel confident that they can play an important role in the battles to stop our jobs and services being cut to pay for the bankers' crisis.