How Labour can make EU Policy ‘Back Young Britain’

The recent edition of Anticipations contains an article from Catherine Stihler, one of the Labour MEPs for Scotland.

Catherine argues that Britain must collaborate with EU states both to forge a stable recovery and to build a sustainable social market economy by 2020. The latter is the EU’s response to the Lisbon Agenda (to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy by 2010).

Vital to achieving this goal is the investment in education and skills by domestic governments to equip tomorrow’s work force with the skills for a global economy. This is the very nub of the interaction between the national and the international in policy making. Investment in the skills of its citizens by a national government will allow its workforce to compete for the high skilled jobs of a global marketplace.

Labour has a record of a sustained investment in schools, skills, universities, research and development running hand in hand with a jobs and growth strategy that is beyond Britain’s borders to ensure we look for the jobs of tomorrow.

We should continue this in the next election manifesto as we look beyond our borders for growth, jobs and trade. Labour should continue to make a commitment to young people to allow us to achieve our full potential in the economy of tomorrow. I believe the Backing Young Britain campaign should continue beyond the recession as a positive way of investing in our future to bring high quality jobs to Britain and allow us to compete internationally. Labour can co-ordinate our policies in Westminster and in Brussels to keep European policy working for young Britain and building for our future.

Fab 5: Tuesday 16 February 2010

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Fab 5: Monday 15 February 2010

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A few hours left to complete YF Members Survey – prize draw closes at midnight

Our annual members survey gives you the chance to have your say on the issues and activities most important to you, and to guide the executive committee’s planning over the course of the next year. It’s also the first chance to sign up to this year’s policy development groups.

www.surveymonkey.com/s/youngfabiansurvey2010

All survey responses received by midnight tonight will be entered into a prize draw to win a £25 book token.

Please email me on aprandle@youngfabians.org.uk if you are having any difficulty completing the survey.

Adrian Prandle, Vice Chair

From ‘Twitter Bombard Tuesdays’ to Fabianism for a Fiver this February

Adrian Prandle, Young Fabian Vice Chair, offers some observations on the web as special edition of Anticipations, the Young Fabian magazine, looking at how the internet is changing politics, is offered free online for the first time.

SPONTANEITY AND CREATIVITY – The improv-stand-up Ross Noble, with his comedic-anarchic wonts, last month unfortunately called a day on his ‘Twitter Bombard Tuesdays’. This weekly event had briefly mobilised Noble’s micro-blogging followers to target confectionery companies, Dragon Duncan Bannatyne, and our very own Kerry McCarthy MP, with 140 character business pitches and bizarre questions. It was funny, but beyond Noble – the real spontaneity and creativity was coming from his fans; he was facilitating an opportunity for them to mirror his own unique style. Not too dissimilar from a certain US President who empowered his supporters to tell their personal stories and organise their neighbourhoods in a campaign that literally followed its leader …

WHO’S WATCHING? – Young Fabian member and current President of the NUS, Wes Streeting, writes in an article which argues that online campaigns can make a difference offline, on page 17 of Anticipations, that ‘thousands of people joining a cause on Facebook is nothing new today’ – and he’s right. But I know from a recent meeting during my day job that even much-maligned and oft-criticised quangos are watching out, and working out how they must react to online political or citizen activity such as the Facebook A Level Biology paper protest. Gradually, everyone is starting to notice what’s going on online.

REMEMBERING THE REAL WORLD – I write myself in Anticipations(page 26) on the importance of linking new media and established forms of communication and argue for the continuing relevance of the age-old people-centred campaigning methods we are accustomed to. The web fails politics when it is insular and a stage for the faux wars of the blogosphere. And is at its best when it retains a sense of humanity. MyDavidCameron.com works because it’s simple and because it connects with people. Sure, there’s some duff examples but the best, the funniest, the most poignant mock-ups of the airbrushed poster are all capable of resonating with people’s lives and experiences.

So, what does this mean? Well ultimately, it’s a movement away from the crafting of carefully, constructed messages specifically targeted and towards doing something different, doing something quickly and then creating enough involvement and momentum for it to snowball and make people sit up and take notice. Those that manage to merge the former with the latter, stamping their own personality in the process, during this election will likely find success be it in hits on a website or votes in a ballot box.

Young Fabian magazine, Anticipations, is available online in its entirety for the first time ever. We are offering Fabian members over the age of 31 the chance to sample an edition which includes Sarah Brown, Ben Bradshaw, Kerry McCarthy and Alex Smith. And we are encouraging our supporters under the age of 31 who enjoy the magazine to join the Young Fabians for just £5 to receive every edition of Anticipations, as well as our pamphlets, and to take part in our full range of activities.

The best fiver you’ll ever spend!

The topic of Anticipations couldn’t be more current. With many predicting that the next General Election will be the first to be fought online, the Young Fabians’ magazine asks ‘Can the Internet Change Politics?’ And fittingly, given the topic, for the first time the magazine is available to read in full online.

Anticipations is usually only available to our members, but along with this exclusive online edition for all our supporters, we are also offering a special rate of membership to celebrate our 50th year – £5 for six months membership. To view the online edition please click here.

By joining the Young Fabians you’ll receive much more than Anticipations. You’ll become a member of the only thinktank in the country run by and for young people. For over fifty years we have been at the forefront of debate on the Left, agitating for change through our pamphlets, magazines and events. You can become part of that rich tradition by joining the Young Fabians today.

What’s more, it only costs a fiver. That’s it. For that price you’ll receive Anticipations, priority booking for our events, as well as invitations to our socials and policy debates. It gets even better. You’ll also receive the Fabian Society’s magazine, Fabian Review, and the latest editions of their excellent policy books and pamphlets. So what are you waiting for? Join the Young Fabians today by clicking here.

Anticipations Online Trial

When the British scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989, few could have anticipated its impact. Twenty years later and few aspects of modern life have been left untouched by its influence. Politics is no exception. As the General Election approaches more and more people are asking – Can the internet change politics? It’s an important debate to be had and one that the current edition of Anticipations explores. With contributors from many of the Left’s most active bloggers, politicians and activists, this edition of Anticipations delves into one of the big political debates of our time.

Contributors include:

• Sarah Brown
• Ben Bradshaw MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
• Kerry McCarthy MP, Labour Party New Media Campaign Spokesperson
• Tom Harris MP, Member of Parliament for Glasgow South
• Alex Smith, Editor of Labourlist
• Will Straw, Editor of Left Foot Forward
• John Wood, TUC Touchstone blog
• Jessica Asato, Acting Director of Progress
• And many more, including a good number of Young Fabian members.

I hope you enjoy the magazine!

James Green

Editor, Anticipations

Does Gender Equality on the blogosphere really matter?

In the latest issue of Anticipations, Jessica Asato, Acting Director of Progress, talks about the under representation of women on the blogosphere.
Reading her article, I can identify with many of the reasons and characteristics she describes to explain this lack of female presence. I was one the women who joined the blog Labourwomen enthusiastically a year ago but gave up blogging after the first attempts (although, to be fair, I blogged at least thrice). Despite better intentions, my contributions to the YF blog so far have been scarce, almost non existing- to be honest, I had to be invited to even write this piece. I am one of the women Jess mentions who claim to be simply to busy to blog on a regular basis- most of the time, I’d rather spent my free time working out in the gym or having a meal with my housemates than write a blog. So my first thought when reading Jessica’s article was: “So what?” Women have every right to be on the internet, a lot of us (like the wonderful Christine Quigley, Chair of London Young Labour) even have their own web presence. Women have the necessary technical knowledge, we all use a computer, some of us even tweet-so if so many of us choose not to participate in the virtual world of mass communication because it is simply not our cup of tea-does it really matter?

The problem is: it does, and Jessica rightly makes this point at the end of her article. Communication today can only become relevant to a wider audience if it’s online. The cornerstones of an informed society -campaigns, discussions, sharing of information- are all being developed and shaped on the web.

When women wanted the right to vote and participate in democracy, they had to take to the streets and put up an immense fight to make their voices heard. If women today want to participate in democracy 2.0, all we have to do is go online. The rise of social media seems unstoppable, and the way we communicate has already changed forever. We need to realize that our messages will only get through if we engage with this new media. So come on girls, for the sake of all women over the world- let’s hit those keyboards, more than just once.

Fab 5: Tuesday 9 February 2010

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Social Care – somebody has to pay

Reform of social care, or care and support as it is now known, is high on the Government’s agenda. Everyone is agreed that the current system is failing and with demand set to increase action needs to be taken. However, whilst the consensus seems to be that we need a world class system of care and support, when it comes to how to pay for it politicians are timid, and understandably so when voters are hostile to any increase in tax, be it income or inheritance, yet the money needs to come from somewhere.

What is strange is the public perception that social care is not something we should all be expected to contribute towards. Can you imagine if we took this approach to other areas of public policy? If you’re in your twenties and childless would you argue that you should pay less tax as you have no need of schools, or if you never see a doctor would you argue to withhold your contributions towards the NHS?

We already accept that our taxes pay for many things that we as individuals may never use, but we also value both living in a society where we know such services are available and the knowledge, that should we need healthcare, education, the police and so on, they are there. Why is social care so different? Anyone of us could find ourselves in the position of needing social care at anytime and we need to face up to the reality that someone, somewhere is going to have to pay for that.

Can internet networks change politics?

The eagle eyed among you will notice that I have carefully doctored the question that’s on everyone’s mind – or at least those minds that have been exposed to the latest edition of the marvelous Young Fabians member mag, Anticipations – ‘Can the internet change politics?’. Selfishly shifting the goalposts to suit my own area of responsibility, I want to dig a little deeper about the potential for the power of networks…

Can they change politics? “Yes, but”. Yes, the power of online networks can be enormous… But, only if members of the network foster their own dynamism in their own online space.

As strategic planning would have it, the Young Fabian team have skillfully dovetailed the publication of the Antics ‘new media’ special with the launch of our very own new media offering – two dedicated Young Fabian online networks, hosted on Ning.net.

‘The Future of Finance’ network (http://youngfabians-networks-fof.ning.com), for progressives interested in the role of finance and society; and ‘The Technology and Society’ network (http://youngfabians-networks-tsociety.ning.com), to help bridge the gap between technology, science, engineering and progressive politics.

We will be formally launching the two Networks before the election. Our intention is for both networks to provide a vibrant forum for people to write, blog, discuss, create and lead innovative progressive projects on the issues that they find interesting.

Networks are open to Fabians and non-Fabians and aim to enable as much sharing of insights and collaboration as possible; focused on one particular issue or sector. New media is about empowerment and that is exactly what the Networks seek to do in a constructive and influential manner. Both finance and technology are topics where the Left has historically been weak and where the networks could contribute a huge amount to progressive thinking.

Providing an opportunity for empowerment for Young Fabian members and progressives is only half the story. Creating a dynamic and compelling online environment will require something extra… you. So, if you like the sound of what you’re reading, follow the links to find out more and get involved – join the networks and contribute something. I look forward to seeing what you have to say.

Nick Maxwell
Networks and Schools Officer.