Call to Arms: Creating a student/youth caucus (Left Unity)

February 6, 2014

Call to Arms: Creating a student/youth caucus (Left Unity)

The student youth movement burns brightly and Left Unity must help fan those flames to ensure that the fire does not burn out. Which is why we (students/youth) need to begin formally organising with LU, in order to:

1. Share ideas
2. Communicate and co-ordinate
3. Create youth/student materials to share on campus/school
4. Ensure LU has a student/youth voice
5. Create a solid youth foundation within the party

Within the constitution it allows for the formation of a student caucus, and now is the perfect time to get this up and running. Left Unity students have been at the forefront of the battle in Birmingham, Glasgow and Exeter – now we need to begin working together nationally in order to concentrate our efforts in the battle for free education and the wider problems facing society, the cuts.

First and foremost we must be formally recognised within Left Unity as a section, then we must arrange to have a youth conference, and create a student broadsheet. This will ensure that a clear youth voice will be heard within Left Unity, and youth problems are not forgotten but kept to the forefront of the party as it grows. We must begin co-ordinating with one another now so that the student voice is not drowned out in the sea of voices at conference and beyond.

The student movement in recent years has fluctuated, we have witnessed mass demonstrations in London against the rising of tuition fees where hundreds of thousands of students up and down the country either gathered in London or took part in occupations, to more recent events with various occupations and student action. Therefore Left Unity must begin to water the seeds of the student movement which has already shown shoots of growth. This should not be carried out by anyone but the students and youth themselves which is why I call on all Left Unity students to begin organising within a youth caucus with immediate effect.

Historically, today and beyond the movement has been kept alive and furthered by the youth, from the Vietnam anti-war movement to the Arab Spring, the young have been carrying the torch of freedom and equality that step closer to the realisation of a just, free and fair society. No one can understand the problems faced by the young but the young themselves, therefore with this caucus Left Unity will be ready to aid in the battles of today, and the battles of tomorrow. The importance of the youth in any social movement is paramount, in the words of Huey Newton “The revolution has always been in the hands of the young. The young always inherit the revolution.”

SolidaritySteve

Politics

Caucus, Left Unity, Movement, Politics, Protest, Student, Student Movement, Student Protest, Tuition Fees, University, Youth

4 responses to “Call to Arms: Creating a student/youth caucus (Left Unity)”

Joseph Kisolo

February 6, 2014

Hi – I’m not really a youth any more, still just about a student (I’m a post-grad on verge on finishing [fingers crossed] PhD at Sheffield) but I am TAing at Manchester University but I would be up for helping trying to seed something at Manchester University for next semester.

I see that you think that student organising ” …should not be carried out by anyone but the students and youth themselves” – I agree with this as a general point but wonder if us non-students/youth might not have a roll to play in getting things started? Also, a bit of thought might be put in as to how to link the student wing with organised education workers in general.

One thing that seems missing what you’ve said is the need to establish LU student union groups at the universities. These give access to funds, room booking etc. and are defiantly worth establishing. Generally freshers fairs are a great place to pull a load of open minded new members in, stalls at these often need to be booked before the end of this years second semester, and require at least one LU member already being at campus.

A bit of thought might also need to the fact that many LU student members will already be signed up to on campus groups such as Rev’ Soc or ACI – how LU groups would relate to these needs consideration.

Reply
1. thepoliticaloutlaw
  
  February 6, 2014
  
  I couldn’t agree with you more, we should be working together across all age groups – I’m a mature undergrad student myself. I think the students (societies/branches) should work alongside and with the local branches, the battle effects us all, from zero to death.
  
  I didn’t talk about individual structures (LU:Socs) because this is mainly about internal Left Unity stuff, but it is a great idea – I am setting one up in Northampton at the moment.
  
  Cheers for your input, you raised some really good points, good luck with stuff in Manchester, I am sure LU there will be more than happy to work with you, and hopefully we can share some ideas.
  
  Reply
tamworthalternative

February 6, 2014

In some agreement with the comments above, I think LU needs both a students caucus and a youth section – and the two should not be conflated.
This article should go on the national LU website to spark further discussion.

Reply
1. thepoliticaloutlaw
  
  February 6, 2014
  
  It is on there now:.http://leftunity.org/shout-out-left-unity-students/
  
  Reply

Solidarity Steve