We wish to express shock and sadness at reports coming from Norway of a bombing in Oslo and an attack on our sister party, the Workers’ Youth League (AUF), youth camp on the Island of Utoeya. There is nothing more inhuman than to target children and young people, and nothing that reminds us all of the importance of our common humanity than the devastation we all feel on hearing of such an awful, cowardly act.

That the young victims of this attack were debating politics and engaging in democracy shows that they were everything that the perpetrators of these vicious attacks were not. They were working together, engaging in society and trying to create a better Norway and a better world for the future.

There are no words that can fully express our sorrow at these events and the sympathy that we all feel. Our thoughts and wishes are with our brothers and sisters in the Norwegian young Labour party, with their friends and family and with the friends and family of all those killed and injured in Oslo. Today we stand with the people of Oslo and the young people at Utoeya, today we are all Norwegian.

Signed

London Young Labour Executive on Behalf of all in London Young Labour

On Thursday February 10^th, around 100 new young members to the Labour Party attended a reception to welcome them to Labour. Labour’s Mayoral Candidate, Ken Livingstone, talked of the vital role the youth wing has in bringing the party back into power; both in City Hall and in Parliament.

Stella Creasey, Member of Parliament for Walthamstow, gave a speech on her efforts to legislate against the scandal that is legal loan sharking. Both Stella and Ken emphasised the need for young people to take leadership roles within their communities and to get Labour’s message out to the people who are hardest hit by the Tory-led Government’s austerity programme.

Speaking at the event, London Young Labour Chair, Christine Quickley, said it is inspiring to see so many young people joining the Labour Party and that the London Young Labour Committee will be working to ensure that they find their place in the party.

By Ken Livingstone

Yesterday’s demonstration against government plans to increase student debt to pay for an economic crisis caused by bankers was much larger than most commentators would have expected.

Though attention will inevitably concentrate on the scenes around Millbank, the overwhelming majority of young people, students and lecturers came to demonstrate peacefully in support of a fairer future and decent higher education.

Over fifty thousand took to the streets and the coverage ought to reflect their concerns, not only concentrate on the actions of a few.

The NUS-UCU campaign has my full support. The mainstream, peaceful mobilisation of the vast majority on that demonstration is an indication of how layer after layer of our society is being forced into opposition to a government that has no mandate for its assault on our quality of life.

London is not only the location for the fees protests – it is a city where the impact of the government’s policies will be particularly acute. Read the rest of this entry »

The new LYL Exec

The following people were elected to the LYL Exec at the AGM on the 31st October:

Chair: Christine Quigley

Womens Officer and Vice Chair: Cat Smith

Under 19′s Officer: Arthur Baker

LGBT Officer: Eleanor Saunders

Ethnic Minorities Officer: Angelo Weekes

Disabled Members Officer: Rizwan Ali

Regional Board Rep: Daryn McCombe

Block of 14 (In order elected):

Gemma Ricketts (Secretary)
Adam McNicholas (Campaigns and Member Development)
Tom Copley (Website Officer)
Jyoti Bhojani (Anti Racism Officer)
Jay Asher (Fundraising Officer)
Iain Simpson (Political and Policy Officer)
Ellie Robinson (Campaigns Co-Ordinator)
Shelly Asquith (Social Secretary)
Martha Dalton (Treasurer)
Ruth Hughes (Campaigns Co-Ordinator)
Jason Ellar (Campaigns Co-Ordinator)
Tom Miller (Newsletter Editor)
Joshua Fenton Glynn (Campaigns Co-Ordinator)
Louise Haigh (Trade Union Liaison Officer)

19 September · 11:00 – 17:00
20 Dalston Lane, Hackney

How much food can we grow in a shop? This summer design company Something&Son are transforming an empty shop in London into a farm.

FARM:Shop is a project is being supported by Hackney Council and the ‘Empty Shop Fund’ that Labour created when in Government.

Over the last few months volunteers have been transforming an old shop, which will eventually include a mini fish farm, growing vegetables, salad, chickens and livestock.
…
We thought it would be good to have a social that was a bit different, with London Young Labour & Co-operative Party Youth members invited to come along an volunteer some time to help this project. So if you fancy yourself as an urban farmer, like a bit of DIY or just want a fun day out volunteering RSVP to this event.

*Come along for a few hours, the morning, afternoon or whole day, its up to you!*

The shop is a short walk or slow tractor journey from the newly opened Dalston Junction Overground Station and Dalston Kingsland.

For more information, on this event, London Young Labour or Co-operative Party Youth, please contact David Taylor on 07749 702352.

For more information on FARM:Shop go to http://farmlondon.weebly.com/farmshop.html or join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117954091583588