Next stop Bridlington

Scan page 3

Labour Party Young Socialists national conference is in Bridlington at Easter. Jane Ashworth reviews the debates at the regional conferences leading up to it. 10p Lon the general election - i.e. between December 9 1984 and June 9 1986. The NEC can play a delaying role as to when the process starts in each CLP, but the constitutional initiative lies with the CLPs.

The NEC (with Kinnock) could certainly pressurise a number of CLPs to delay, but there would be at least a significant minority who wouldn't accept that and by the 1985 Party conference it would be too late.

But to make a change this year, the right wing needs the the STUP 10p plus postage from Sickert Court, Jon N1 2SY. Leadership must further inhibit him in such a situation.

But all is not gloom for the right or a source for satisfaction among the left. In the last round of re-selection, the 'shortlist of one' devide proved a major defence for members of the PLP, and given the present balance on the NEC will certainly feature again. The CLPD-spearheaded campaign against this was not successful before.

Also, the rank and file did a good job of policing themselves last time. Far too often, sitting right-wingers got voted back out of a combination of loyalty and softness.

Indeed, one of the reasons for the present publicity could be to start putting pressure on the lett to hold off in reselection this time, and to let the right go through in the name of 'unity' and • supporting the existing leadership.

Using mandatory re-selection, getting a PLP accountable to the Party and its policies, is a job that still needs to be done. Part of the fight tor this must include a campaign against the 'shortlist of one' device; it must also involve being continually on the alert about the dangers of it being reversed.

*'How to select or reselect your MP' by Chris Mullin and Charlotte Atkins, 85p (£1 including, postage)_ from CLPD, 10 Park Drive, London NW11 or Tribune, 308 Gray's Inn Road, Lundon WC1X 8DY THIS year's round of Labour Party Young Socialists regional conferences is almost over: only the West Midlands is still to come.

The Scottish and Yorkshire conferences were held last weekend, and Mark Osborn, a Class Fighter supporter from Harrogate YS, was elected to the Yorkshire Regional Committee.

Lesbian and gay liberation was a hotly contested issue, and there were interventions by the Lesbian and Gay Young Socialist group.

A motion from Nick De Marco of Richmond YS at the Lundon conference was amended down to a bland statement against discrimination by supporters of the Militant tendency.

The •same happened in the North West conference. Patrick Murphy from Stockport YS moved a motion calling for the YS to affiliate to the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights, but it was defeated because the LCGR "doesn't explain the need for socialism" and is a "single issue campaign"

In Scotland, the Standing Orders Committee put the lesbian and gay liberation motions in the same package as animal rights and ri oved they be not taken. Howls of protest from the audience and a word in the ear of the Chair by a more experienced Militant supporter got the motion taken.

The Tories Youth Training Scheme was a central discussion in most conferences. But motion calling for the YS to support and call on trade unions to prevent schemes being set up unless they give union rights and rates and safety protection, moved by Jane Ashworth of Islington North YS in London, was defeated. Militant interpreted it to mean that where schemes were set up, trade unions shouldn't have anything to do with them.

YTS action

In Yorkshire, Mark Osborn told the conference about the YTS work going on in his area and how comrades from Harrogate and York YS branches are organising a day of action against compulsion. The Regional Committee agreed to recommend support for Harrogate's motion and will nelp organise the day of action against compulsion.

Class Fighter supporter Dan Duncan, who is the Yorkshire regional rep on Youth CND national committee, addressed the conference, urging the YS to get more involved in YCND. But at all the regional conferences, the YS decided not to build YCND, but go along with its major activities.

Occupations

Jim Kearns from Blantyre YS (in Scotland) and Mark Sapsford from Lewisham YS (in London) both argued for the YS to propose demands related specifically to particular struggles, instead of just having one set of general slogans for every occasion.

Mark explained how important it is to campaign for occupations of hospitals threatened with closure - and why a demand on the next Labour government to extend the health service isn't really enough.

Steve Battlemuch, a Class Fighter supporter and CPSA militant, gave a five minute speech to the East Midlands conference about the dispute at GCHQ. Heenan Bhatti from Orpington YS argued at the London conference about the importance of the recruiting of ethnic minorities to the Labour Party.

He said that black people are put oft the party because of its lack of anti-raçist activity and the record of past Labour governments which have introduced racist immigration laws.

Heenan said that a Labour Party black section is necessary to involve more black people and to force the Party to take up campaigns like deportations.

He also argued that we need black people to represent black people and we should support positive discrimination in the Party to ensure that representation.

Petitions calling for a YS women-only conference collected over 400 names.

Next is the national conference on April 20-23. Judith Bonner (Peckham YS) is being supported by Class Fighter for the NEC, and Tony Dale (Manchester Central), Mary Morrison (York), Clive Bradley (Manchester Gorton) and Tim Anderson (Harrogate) for the Standing Orders Committee.

Scan page 4

•Abortion/ Reproductive rightsMarch

----- pull-quotes -----

¡Scrap the ¿bosses!

Bomb! I Class Fighter