Young Labour (United Kingdom)
| Young Labour | |
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| Chairperson | Simon Darvill |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Preceded by | Labour Party Young Socialists |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Ideology | Social democracy, Democratic socialism |
| Mother party | Labour Party |
| International affiliation | International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) |
| European affiliation | Young European Socialists (ECOSY) |
| Website | www.younglabour.org.uk |
Young Labour is the youth section of the British Labour Party. It is open to all Labour members between the ages of 14 and 27, and membership is automatic for those between 14 and 27 joining the Labour Party.[1]
It exists to involve young people in the Labour Party and ensure that the aspirations of young people are reflected in Labour’s policies in government – whether that be at a National, European, Scottish, Welsh or local level.
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History [edit]
It was founded in 1993 by a Labour Party annual conference motion in Brighton, proposed by Tom Watson (later a Labour MP), seconded by Brian Whitington, then Chair of the Labour Party Young Socialists (later a 2005 Labour Party candidate in Twickenham) and supported by then NEC Youth Representative Claire Ward (who has been a Labour Party MP since 1997).
Young Labour campaigns for the Labour Party at elections, and for policies more beneficial to young people within the Labour Party. Young Labour is supportive of the Labour Party's policies including a graduate tax. Young people are involved in all levels of the Labour Party, from door step campaigning, through to directly influencing policy and providing strategic direction to the Labour Party.
Labour Young members also get involved in the Labour Party through local policy events, campaigning or by attending events and socials.
Membership Fee [edit]
The Labour Party membership fee for under-27s was reduced to one penny in December 2010, this fee lasted until May 2011.[2] The fee has reverted to £1 for the first year of membership, with subsequent years charged at the standard rate.
Structure [edit]
Relations to other Organisations [edit]
The organisation works closely with other youth sections of the Labour Party, particularly their sister organisations, Labour Students, the Young Fabians and the youth sections of affiliated trade unions.
Internal Structure [edit]
The executive of the organisation, the Young Labour National Committee, includes sections for National Policy Forum representatives, the NEC Youth Rep, representatives from sister organisations, a secretary appointed by the Labour Party, and regional representatives elected by One Member One Vote. The Chair was appointed by the Labour Party itself between 1991 and 2009 in an attempt to limit 'radicalism' in Labour's youth wing. The position was contested for the first ever time in 2009 following reforms by the previous committee under then Chair Richard Angell; after increasing pressure from many young members resulted in the Labour Party annual conference voting for a rule change that included a democratically elected chair. The election of the chair is now carried out by delegates to the Party's biannual Youth Conference. However, the first time this system was used it was won without opposition by anti-BNP organiser and then Chair of Compass Youth, Sam Tarry. The first contested election for chair was at the 2011 conference. It was won by Susan Nash who at the time was a Vice President of NUS.
List of elected chairs [edit]
- 2009 - Sam Tarry
- 2011 - Susan Nash
- 2013 - Simon Darvill
References [edit]
External links [edit]
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