Eluned Anderson: Why I’m standing to be chair of Young Labour

I am running for chair of Young Labour to build a youth movement that empowers our young activists to fight everyday for a Labour government with Keir Starmer in No 10. I joined the Labour Party when I was 15, on the night of the 2015 general election. I watched in horror as the Tories under David Cameron won, knowing that they were on course to lead the country into more devastating austerity. I knew then that the best way to make a difference was to become a Labour member and fight for a Labour government.

I grew up as a child of an alcoholic, suffering physical abuse from the people who were supposed to protect me. Statistics say I shouldn’t be here today, fighting for a better future for young people. But I’m running to be chair of Young Labour not despite my life experiences, but because of them. My vision for Young Labour is simple: I want Young Labour to unlock the potential of all young members with an online campaign hub, to have proper safeguarding in our youth movement, and an actively anti-racist Young Labour.

Young Labour members have so much potential. But without funding we are not given the tools we need to create change in our communities. I would change this by setting up an online campaign hub where young members can access training and political education. From starting a local Young Labour group and running community campaigns, to guidance on how to become a councillor or information on how to organise in your workplace – this would be a go-to resource for everything that young members need to fight for a Labour government.

The toxic culture of Young Labour needs to end. The abuse that our current chair has suffered – experiencing antisemitic bullying so bad it got mentioned in parliament – is despicable. It is vital that we fix this. I want to see designated safeguarding officers in every regional Labour office with well publicised guidance for young members to seek support, a properly independent complaints process and anti-racist, unconscious bias training for officers to make Young Labour a safe space for all our members. Young Labour must always stand against racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, transphobia, anti-Gypsy, Roma and Traveller hate, homophobia, ableism, classism, misogyny and sexual harassment.

Alongside this Young Labour must be inclusive and unequivocally anti-racist. I am a North West regional ambassador for the Holocaust Education Trust, educating young people on the Holocaust and working with survivors to end the scourge of antisemitism. I will ensure Young Labour put words into action to fight with Black Lives Matter activists and encourage young members from BAME backgrounds to stand for election in the party. I am so proud to be backed by the Jewish Labour Movement, and I will work with them to ensure we have zero tolerance against antisemitism in our party, bringing back their antisemitism awareness training for Young Labour groups and student societies.

I am ready to fight for a better future for our movement and the country. I would work everyday for a Labour government and to get Keir into No 10 in 2024. We need a Young Labour that is ready to take the fight to the Tories, and I am the chair candidate to lead it. 
If you would like to know more you can find me via Facebook, Twitter or on my campaign website.