How we build Leigh YS

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TO build the LPYS in Leigh we have taken as our guide the successful way in which the Wigan YS was built in the 1960's. (Wigan is only 5 miles away from Leigh.) We have been able to make contact with the YS Liaison Officer from Wigan at the time. At its highest point Wigan YS had 300 members, of whom 80 or so were active.

They built up their forces by organising regular discos; unemployed football teams and by drawing working class youth into their campaigns.

Though we have not yet got round to organising football teams we are working on organising regular discos (we had 130 at the last one) and in drawing young people into our YOP, Youth Training Scheme, anti-war drive and NHS workers support campaign. We will be complementing this with regular LPYS educationals and youth canvassing throughout the constituency as part of a 2 month programme of activities at the end of which we hope to have 25 active yS members.

Throughout our work around. YOP's and the Youth ' Training Schemes we want to help build for the LPYS NC-called Demo on October 16 in Liverpool. We must get as many YOP trainees as possible into the , T&GWU and the LPYS.

To raise the money to pay for the leaflets we want to put out we will be selling pontoon cards and getting sponsors for one of our members who is running in the Bolton marathon. We hope to raise about £200 by doing this.. We will be distributing our leaflets at our discos, on our youth canvass and during the tour we are organising of local youth clubs, dole queues, schools, etc., as well as on Saturdays at Leigh market.

We've issued press release to the local newspapers and sent a campaign circular to all local labour and trade union bodies. THIS year's Labour Party conference is going to be very important. It will decide whether the left wing in the Party have the right to organise themselves.

If the right wing in the Party win, groups like Class Fighter and Militant will be proscribed. That means anyone who sells these papers will be expelled from the Party.

The YS will also be under attack. Because it has left wing politics, some sections of the right wing want to disband it and set up another youth movement.

This is not the first time that this has been done.

Labour Party have attacked its left wing politics.

If they closed it down they would try to set up a new youth organisation We also intend to organise a similar campaign in opposition to the Thatcher/Reagan War Drive. We will be trying to get Leigh YCND to support us in this.

Campaign

We have also taken the initiative for organising a public meeting to launch a local NHS . Workers Support Campaign. We've invited our local MP Lawrence Cunliffe to speak along with the Secretary of Leigh Trades Council. Through this campaign we want to organise fundraising activities, factory tours, and flying pickets to support the Health Workers when they take action.

We think that the best way to win support for the YS is by showing that we are prepared to take up a militant fight on all fronts to fend the interests of W: in class youth against th. l'ories' and the bosses' attacks.

Needs

Socialist propaganda is important to us but only if it is placed alongside fight for the practical and immediate needs of working class youth and not as a substitute for it.. ' This is he basis on which we are uilding the LPYS in Leigh.

Steve Hall Chairperson Leigh LPYS Simon Pottinger takes a look at the top 40 I'VE JUST run my fing down the NME Char leaving my hands the sar colour as yours are readi this. That sort of dil grey is much the same my thoughts on the chai too - there's a lot I li and a lot I hate and little lové. I'm also not sure he you approach Pop musi with its innate comme ciality and hype.

On the other hand tl he alternative indie scene (si ic) can be elitist and restri ictive; although I say 'cl an ; as there's still loar ds new happening. More Are importantly there's quite crossover between the tv

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Right through the history of the YS, the leaders of the