GCSE results day next
We organised campaign stalls at schools and colleges on A-level results day, 13 August. We spoke to students collecting their marks about the international ‘fight for our future’ youth walkout on 20 November.
Socialist Student and Socialist Party members in the West Midlands explain what happened below. We’re doing the same on GCSE results day, 20 August.
Nuneaton – already in debt
Eesha, Coventry Socialist Party and Manchester Socialist Students
Outside King Edward VI College, we spoke to Year 13s who had just received admission into university. Despite this, they were far from excited at the prospect.
Already, they were knee-deep dealing with exploitative student landlords, grappling with the recent hike in tuition fees to £9,790 annually, and shocked to hear about 32 universities’ new partnership with the Ministry of Defence as a means of raising revenue.
If students and young people are to have a future, we’re going to have to fight for it. Our rights to education, employment, and affordable housing continue to be under attack. Even under Andy Burnham’s new Labour government, which claims to be delivering “change”.
Our party and Socialist Students mobilise young people who have been demonised and exploited by the capitalist system. We must link our fight to that of the wider working class. This is fundamental to working towards the socialist change that is necessary.
Wolverhampton – £15 an hour, no exemptions
Alex Hutton, Black Country Socialist Party and Wolverhampton Socialist Students
The main topic of discussion on our campaign stall was our call for £15-an-hour minimum wage, without exemptions. This was supported by a broad range of the public, from secondary schoolers to retirees, with only one or two dissenters. Even they were not particularly ardent in their criticism.
We received plenty of signatures on our petitions, donations, and we even sold out of Socialist papers. We met six young people interested in learning about the Socialist Party’s broader platform.
Hopefully we’ll see them at the Black Country Socialist Party’s next meeting, where we’ll further be discussing the issues facing us youth today.
Stoke-on-Trent – people’s need, not what’s profitable
Leon Turner-Denham, Stoke Socialist Party member, just graduated from uni
We set up in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre. Many young people getting their grades had concerns about their place in the world, and an inability to find jobs or apprenticeships after their study – concerned that they won’t be able to support themselves financially.
These problems aren’t failures of the individuals. They are the product of the capitalist system that abandons young people facing rising costs and a lack of work opportunities, while wealth is concentrated in the hands of the few. We fight for a future where education, housing, and a decent living are provided based on what people need, rather than what’s profitable.
Coventry – system fails us
Noah Walker, Coventry Socialist Party and Socialist Students
We had a campaign stall concerning the issues of getting a £15-an-hour minimum wage, regardless of age, advocating for free education, and more affordable housing for everyone.
People who came up and signed our petition spoke about their worries over the cost-of-living crisis, not being able to find work or housing, and fears over the benefits system failing them when they’re trying to improve their situation.
Worcester
Bill Reid, Worcester Socialist Party
Our leaflet was popular with young and old alike. 10 people bought our Socialist paper, donating at least £15 to our fighting fund, and three people want to explore joining us.
