National youth and student committee

Fighting for socialist ideas

The movement that's developing around the country against cuts and privatisation in the NHS is drawing young people into it. This was clear from the reports and the discussion at the Socialist Party's national youth and student committee on 14-15 October.

Around 30 young members discussed political developments in Britain; the work of our members in the universities, colleges, the workplaces and the trade unions and the nature and role of the Socialist Party.

On Saturday, we concluded that there are more students in the universities interested in socialist ideas this year. Top-up fees are on the minds of freshers and we must link them up with the students in the FE and 6th form colleges who face the fees in the future. Where there is a movement developing on the NHS, students see it as an opportunity to fight back against privatisation and Blair. We agreed that we need to seek out, discuss with and involve the healthcare students who now have no guarantee of a job.

On Sunday, we had a question and answer session on the role of a revolutionary party. Hannah Sell led the session and everyone participated and enjoyed it.

The discussion emphasised that everyone must try and replace themselves by helping newer, younger members to develop an understanding of how we fight for socialism and the ideas we base ourselves on.

We will be using all of the upcoming events, such as Socialism 2006, the NUS demo, the NHS feeder march and lobby and all our local work to raise socialist ideas with everyone we meet who wants to change the world.

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In The Socialist 22 October 2006:

March to save the NHS