IF THE BRITISH PUBLIC knew nothing else about the recent Labour Party Young Socialist conference, Daily Mail journalist booted out during the Irish debate.
In Fleet Street fashion the hack said 'they can't gag the press, I give no assurance of what will appear in my stories'.
In a polarised debate the delegates from Accr ngton YS said 'Every bullet in a British soldier is a nail in the coffin of British imperialism.' Another delegate called for the 'death of British troops' in Irelana ano descrioea tem as tne scum or brusn imperialism'.
The Miitant controled YS leadershin whipped up noisy support from the conference for the journalist's removal. But it had little to do with the fight for democracy. It was motivated by the tear or losing respectabity in the eves Labour and trade union bureaucracy by allowing Hree discussion edil.
There was much among the 2,000 YS members at conference. On Saturday night the Labour Committee on Ireland held a tringe meeting at which over 100 people heard Plastic Bullets Conference Organiser, MarCollins, DUCaN, followed organiser of the Scottish Labour delegation to Belfast.
Collins explained that British workers could not make any decisive steps toward socialism, until Irisn acmieve ineir alm British domination. He pointed out that if the Labour Party is going to fight the next election to win, it must campaign on its socialist policies, actively campaigning for Irish unity and the banning of plastic bullets. in this, being linked to the most radical and militant section of the callea lor 1o Drancaes ana members to arninate to the LCI to help break the labour movement from bipartısanship. Yo branches should send delegates on future visits.
A special conference issue of the LCI Bulletin Labour and Ireland made a real impact, putting an alternative to Militant's abstract calls for workers unity around 'bread and butter issues'.
It was unfortunate that delegates the paper Class Fighter could only offer equally abstract denunciations of British imperialism and calls for support for the IRA. speeches did let the YS leadership off the hook. Militant to whip up a furore about 'terrorism' when it should have been answering basic questions.
If the YS stands for a British withdrawal, what is it doins to build demand? If the YS is in favour of banning plasti bullets why did it not mobilise support for the recent conference? If the the witchunt, why did its NC line up with the right wing by denouncing Ken Livingstone during ihe summary of the Irish debate?
YS branches can start doing something now getting these filiating the general 7 May Demonstration TWO YEARS ago, ten young men who grew up under conditions of poverty, unemployment and foreign troops on their streets, died on hunger presence in Ireland A fore thitres ultinirasi,e upsreiend apd British withdrawal, in worldwide, with more repression and the farcical Assembly.
There is only one solution to Ireland's British ror more details on 7 Mav demonstration con. tact the Organising Committee, Box 353, London NWS 4NH.
they knew about the of the discussion about Ireland by valulUks of liberation The LPYS could play a big role working class youth, and he DuDJUrUIA The ultra left nothing to help the Irish people and This helped movement behind this YS is fighting back against LcT sesi atsending its annua and attending its annual meeting in County Hall, London on 23 strike opposing Britain's the present government has reacted the Irish people!