Streatham Young Labour

Lovely evening for our first discussion in person on "What would Socialism look like?"

Join us tomorrow for our first socially-distanced, in person meet-up since the first lockdown! 6.30PM in Clapham Common by the Long Pond on the topic "What would Socialism look like?"

Reminder that we are holding this open event tomorrow at 7PM! Please find the link attached in the Facebook event to join:

https://www.facebook.com/events/460575188602417

We are pleased to present our programme for Winter 2021! All meetings are public and all but one are on Thursdays at 6PM! Registration link for the first meeting:
https://ucl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIlc-ioqD4pGdQD_NYD2-LmZd_Je_T67AdO

A reminder that this event is tonight! Don't forget to register if you haven't already:
https://ucl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvdeugqTMvGdO6ugBk7Y5NOjSY8nXDQidz

Our next public event will be held on Thursday 4th February at 6PM! All are welcome regardless of party membership and age.

Boris Johnson's government, barely a year after being voted in on a thumping Parliamentary majority, has proven itself to be an absolute calamity. The death toll of the coronavirus pandemic has just passed the 100,000 mark, following countless U-turns by an administration that has desperately tried to put "the economy" (read private profits) ahead of workers' lives. The task of the youth in the labour movement is to fight back on a Socialist platform!

Register for the Zoom meeting here to participate: https://ucl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvdeugqTMvGdO6ugBk7Y5NOjSY8nXDQidz

Streatham Young Labour supports the Rent Strike!
All over the country, young people are being stifled by the crisis of capitalism and the Tory policy. Youth unemployment is high, further education is in disarray; underfunded, and extortionately expensive, housing is a crisis too. Young people are under the constant pressure of eye-watering rates of rent, substandard housing, and indebtedness. Students face the same conditions. Instead of being given the support and incentive to develop themselves, they face dire accommodation, extreme financial pressures, debt and bleak employment prospects.

In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the universities and government have irresponsibly advised students to come to university and move into their student accommodation, in order to charge tuition fees and rent as normal. Students then found themselves in unsafe conditions, in accommodation unfit for purpose, unable to enjoy any of the university’s resources, nor the student experience, and were charged full rent and tuition fees. The university management and government have now shown how much they prioritise their finances before the health, safety and experience of their students.
At various universities, students are organizing in preparation for a rent strike including our local South London university; Goldsmiths. Students in Manchester have already secured 30 percent of their rent deducted for the first term and 10% decrease for the second.

Students at Goldsmiths are demanding a 50% reduction as well as improved security, support and quality of conditions.

Solidarity with students!
Streatham Young Labour supports the Goldsmiths Rent Strike!

Follow on twitter, retweet and send messages of support at https://twitter.com/goldrentstrike

Solidarity with the Progressive Youth Alliance in Pakistan! Streatham Young Labour passed the following motion at a meeting yesterday:

Streatham Young Labour notes:
1. Amar Fayaz, an active member of the Progressive Youth Alliance Pakistan, is abducted on 8 November 2020 by State Security Services and Police.
2. His whereabouts are unknown by his family and friends.
3. On 8 November at around 1:30 a.m., men in two security services vehicle along with three police cars, abducted comrade Amar Fayaz in Jamshoro, Sindh. He was sitting near the gate of Liaqat Medical University in Jamshoro when this incident happened. No one knows his whereabouts since then even Amar’s family – wife and a daughter.
4. Fayaz has been affiliated with Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA) for some years and is involved in the struggle for free education for all, restoration of student unions and employment for all.
5. Protests are going across Pakistan and activists and students are demanding the release of Amar Fayaz.

Streatham Young Labour believes:
1. The lives of Amar Fayaz and many others who have been abducted in different parts of the country are hanging in the balance in Pakistan.
2. In many cases before this, victims of the Rangers have been severely tortured during confinement, while many have lost their lives.
3. The recent wave of repression is so widespread that, apart from left-wing activists and political workers, anyone criticising the state are being abducted and tortured.

Streatham Young Labour resolves:
1. An immediate end to forced disappearance of people in Pakistan by security agencies.
2. Immediately release Amar Fayaz and all activists disappeared by the state
3. If there is any case against Amar Fayaz, it should be presented in the court of law.
4. Send letter of solidarity to Amar and his family through Pakistan Trade Union Solidarity Campaign at [email protected]
5. Send letter demanding immediate release to Pakistan High Commissions, Embassy or Consulates (contact details available at http://mofa.gov.pk/mission-abroad/ with c.c. to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan at [email protected] and [email protected].

Stand in solidarity with the Young Labour National Committee! As Jess Barnard says, "we did not get involved in politics to stay quiet and allow the status quo to continue". It is scandalous that the national leadership should try and censor the youth wing of the party in this way!