Young Labour can live up to its potential – if the party makes these key changes

A lot has been said over the last few months about the Labour Party’s democracy review, which might well transform the structures of our party. But the democracy review of our youth wing, Young Labour, has been overlooked.

Young Labour, comprised of all party members under 27 years old, have contributed a lot to our party – from those who campaigned day in, day out, for Labour during last year’s snap general election campaign to the members who played central roles in the Jeremy for Leader campaign, which transformed the nature of our party.

As we approach the centenary of the establishment of Labour youth section at the 1924 party conference, our party’s youth wing has yet to be given the autonomy – politically, financially and structurally – that many of our sister organisations in Europe have enjoyed for decades.

An organisation with well over 100,000 members, making it larger than the Conservative Party, you might well assume that Young Labour has developed into an organisation that can stand on its own two feet. But there is still much further for us to go.

As it stands, Young Labour is not given a penny of the party’s subscription fees. The party provides us with a single member of staff and facilitates our elections and communications on our behalf. We don’t have any of the autonomy enjoyed by other membership organisations within or linked to the Labour Party, such as Labour Students, the Co-operative Party or the Fabian Society.

This problem exists at a local level too. Over the past year, dozens of new local Young Labour groups have been set up across the country. When I founded one for my local area of Redbridge last year, I wrongly assumed that having half a thousand members would mean we received funding from the central party to get our group off the ground. Instead, I had to fundraise from local CLPs, asking them for a fraction of the membership fees paid to them by our own members. This effectively gives older members veto power.

The democracy review provides an opportunity for the contributions made by young members of the party to be properly recognised. We could be given the tools needed to build a grassroots Young Labour movement across the country, mobilising young members to play an even greater role in campaigning and policy making of our party.

With the age of the average councillor at well over 60, there is a strong case for getting more young members involved in our party at a local level. It’s great to see so many Young Labour members standing as candidates against the Tories in this year’s upcoming local elections.

What changes does Young Labour need?

Young Labour nationally needs real autonomy, with its own rulebook and standing orders to govern its structures. With organisational autonomy and full access to its own membership list, to which it currently has restricted access, Young Labour would be far more democratically accountable to its members.

Secondly, we need resources. One member of staff for an organisation of over 100,000 members is not enough. We need at least three full-time staffers to deal with the workload of administering such a large organisation. Young Labour should also be given a fraction of young members’ membership fees to fund both our staff and local groups, so that they are no longer reliant on handouts.

Finally, we need representation. As things currently stand, Young Labour members elect half a representative on the NEC, with the NEC youth rep elected 50 per cent by young members and 50 per cent by trade unions. I believe that trade unions are central to our movement, but the NEC youth rep should be elected solely through a one-member-one-vote ballot of young members. That would allow our representative on the party’s ruling body to be solely accountable to our party’s young members. Increasing the number of NEC youth reps to two or three wouldn’t go amiss either.

The Labour Party is now in perpetual campaign mode and we must be ready for the next general election whenever it comes. Empowering, mobilising and giving young members a seat at the table at every level of decision-making is an opportunity for a competitive advantage over the other parties that our party cannot afford to miss.

It’s time for our party to empower young members to build a Young Labour movement that lives up to its potential.

Alex Holmes is the secretary of Redbridge Young Labour and former youth councillor for Newham.