Labour Party Young Socialists - Militant Tendency Leadership

Militant Tendency Leadership

For a while there was no one grouping in the leading body of the Labour Party Young Socialists, the LPYS national committee, to which the LPYS regional bodies at that time elected representatives during the year, usually at their regional conferences. For a time, traditional left and right were brought together by the "YS Action Committee" chaired by Bill Withnall from Walsall, and organised by its secretary Peter Kent from Crewe. Centred on the West Midlands area, described by the Sunday Telegraph as a "hotbed of moderation", it nonetheless drew support from all regions to counter the entryist tactics of the Militant Tendency.

Kent represented the North West Region on the national committee from 1966 to 1968, and was followed by Roger Stott from Rochdale. However, during the late 1960s the Militant Tendency began to win significant numbers of resolutions at the annual LPYS national conference. In 1969, resolutions moved by Militant supporters won majorities on all issues except for the question of the United Nations, and in 1970 all resolutions moved by Militant supporters were passed, although of course these resolutions gained support from non-aligned members and other groups who supported the resolutions' aims. By 1972 the Militant Tendency had gained a majority on the LPYS national committee.

The Labour Party as a whole moved to the left in the 1970s, and the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) refused to take any action against the Militant Tendency. They supported the growth of the youth wing of the Party, changing the party's rules to give an LPYS representative a place on the NEC and employed a Militant Tendency Youth Officer, Andy Bevan, as a member of Labour Party staff.

Under the leadership of the Militant Tendency, over the next decade and a half the LPYS grew rapidly and achieved a highpoint of 581 branches in 1985, organising demonstrations and protests against the Thatcher government. Its monthly journal throughout this period was called Socialist Youth, edited by John Hird.