Lloyd Russell-Moyle

I have just finished reading "Freedom - next time" by John Pilger, in this book he reviles the global lies that the media have told and the cover ups - started by government agencies and reviled by noble whistle blowers, court actions and other leaks.

The war with Gaza started and while I was reading I thought that I would look to see what the news output was. On the first day of the land invasion the BBC didn't mention once on its fount page or headlines that millions of people had protested against the Israeli governments actions. They equated the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians with only a couple of injured soldiers and showed a blow by blow account of the "tactical actions" in photographs.

This "double speak" as Orwellian would put it designed the truth in Palestine. Hamas is a terrible organisation, and the very people that they fire their rockets to are Israel Arabs and Muslims but this is tiny compared to what Israel is doing now.

Imagine if the UK has flattened Northern Ireland just because there was a hard core IRA, imagine if instead of working towards peace (although long and hard) in the Bask region Spain had decided to start an overhead assault. People would not only be outraged, but they would call the governments extremist, illiberal and a danger to their own people committing war crimes. Well this is what the Israeli state has done, provoked by Hamas, but encouraged by the right in power.

This latest attack, however may be better for Hamas that many outside think, as elections build up in Israel later in the year this latest war will making it more likely for a right wing government to be elected. Hamas directly advantages from the right wing in Israel as they are two side of the same coin. Hamas set up by the right to take power away from the secular PLO has better support, and is stronger when there is an another side to fight. In this war both sides have all to gain and all to loose by escalating it and so they have.

Freedom next time puts this latest sad story in context with many other stories of international brute over brains often linked to the USA and the UK's imperialist past of dreams.

Labels: Books, International Politics, Peace Studies

As a delegate gets up and gives an impassioned speech to vote for hope not hate, to vote for the best not the easiest to vote individually and not for the “agreed list” the General Assembly applauded. Not 300 meters away some people are hatching a plan – votes where being calculated, manipulated and everything that delegate calls for is slowly destroyed.

Not some spy movie, or some cold war UN story but the “pretend” politics of the European Youth Forum, organisations asked for delegates to vote with their conscious but it fell on deaf ears – or as many would describe it at “the real politics”.

Our politics is what we make it – playing games with our organisations is fun (better than the soap opera Eastenders) but is that what we are really here for. Young people have a particular message that they can give to politicians. They have an ability to speak with clarity, without the baggage of the past and with the foresight of the future. Their message is not only clear, it can have the effect of great change, betterment of society and the ability to dream and reach the sky.
However, if we play the games or a soap opera, young people become nothing more that a fun French farce or the latest episode of a poor European remake of the West Wing.

I guess that because I didn’t get elected to the YFJ (the European Youth Forum), maybe I’m a bit bitter, I played the game and lost and now I want to throw the chess set away blaming the game and not our campaigns failing.

I agree that on the surface value that missing target of getting elected is a failing of us, me in BBCplus, IFM-SEI and maybe the Socialist family. “you would have played as hard as the next man” I hear you cry.

When delegates say that they “think your one of the best” or faced being chucked out of a block to support who they want as the best then I’m not sorry that I failed, but am sorry that its only the minority that actually stand up and be counted.

A culture of blocks stitching the elections up debating on how much others can give you, on a smoke filled room with young people wearing suite is not only a danger for the youth forum it’s a sad reflection on the careerist young politicising of today.

Will the habit be kicked, I hope so – but I doubt it – too many people in too many high places (well places anyway).
Maybe it is just better to watch Eastenders and get the drama from the TV!

Labels: British Youth Council, Elections, european youth forum, IFM-SEI, International Falcon Movment-Socalist Education International, Participation, yfj, youth

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your support over the last few weeks regarding the elections to the Bureau of the European Youth Forum YFJ. The Election result was disappointing, factions; blocks and negations lead instead of debate, dialogue and content. I know that some of the elected bureau will be great and special mention goes to Ben, Marianne, Kadri, Christoffer, Xenia and Tina who I know will be excellent members. You may have played that game but you are all talented people.

If you want to read more about me, my views on the elections, on the YFJ or even creating a new politics for young people then look at www.russell-moyle.co.uk
I said that we mustn’t simulate the present broken political systems but create the ones we want to see, I said that I wouldn’t pretend to be your friend, but that you should vote for me as the best people to run our organisation.

For those who voted against me because they thought I wasn’t the best candidate, or that I wasn’t knowledgeable enough or stood for policies that you disagree, thank you, I believe you are wrong but I respect you.

If you voted against me because someone else told you to – you got an approved list of who to vote for and who to not then I’m not sure that you’re the vote that I wanted. We cannot talk of a different politics, a new future for engagement in a political system that focuses on topics and policy if we – as individuals – do not stand by our actions I can’t blame the block itself, that’s what it does, but the individuals all are accountable for their actions.

For those (of which there was at least six) who defied the your block or approved list, some of who faced exclusion from their blocks, you are braver than I and my heart goes out to you.
Thanks to everyone else that supported me and although not elected I’m proud on what I stood, proud to be from BYC, proud to be young, proud to be a falcon and proud to have a fantastic IFM-SEI Secretary General who supported me all the way.

Labels: British Youth Council, Elections, european youth forum, IFM-SEI, International Falcon Movment-Socalist Education International, Participation, yfj, youth

Dear members,

I am pleased to be nominated by the International Falcon Movement – Socialist Education International (IFM-SEI) and supported by the British Youth Council (BYC) whom I have represented here for a number of years.

I believe passionately about youth work and changing Europe so that young people are better off in all areas. We must build this world for the many not the few, so that all have access to the resources and spaces that they need.
I subscribe fully to the IFM-SEI slogan, and believe that in spanning that world with friendship we can learn from each other for the betterment of all young people regardless of race, creed or nationality.
Sustainable Development
We live on a fragile earth, an earth that if we don’t start caring for will not last very long. I have a long history of activism in the environmental fields with a focus on education. At the first earth summit in Rio in 1992 the message from young people to the world leaders was so controversial that the microphones were cut off. Ten years later I was there when the leaders stood in solidarity with youth, pledging to fight for our planet because of the youth statement. The argument from young people was won and its now widely accepted that environmental, social and economic poverty are some of the biggest dangers that we face.
This acknowledgement of the youth message is not the end. It the start of a larger, more proactive push to make sure that everyone acts. We mustn’t let people off the hook. If elected to the Bureau I would push for the YFJ to hold those that make decisions to account.
As young people we will be the biggest beneficiaries of any change for the future but if we are not happy then we must shout. I believe that the YFJ not only in climate change, but also in child, youth, employment and education affairs must take the lead in monitoring the changing and speaking out to make sure that it happens.

I believe that it is important for the YFJ membership to be grassroots activists as well as political lobbyists. I currently work in the Union of Students for Bradford University as the General Secretary and Treasurer. In this role I have political responsibility as well as working with students in need. I know the daily concerns of students as well as understanding the needs of student organisations in this role I have taken a particular focus on immigration as the University with the highest international student population outside of London in the UK.

Migration and Human Rights
No one is illegal, has been my mantra in working to allow student to study and stay in the UK. I have taken the UK government to court twice, both times getting leave for them to remain to study, achieving tangible success for students.

I remember a 16 year old at one of our IFM-SEI members camps saying to me:
A week later the asylum seeker that camped with them was facing deportation. It was that friendship, fostered at camp, that meant that the 16 year old, started a petition, met his MEP for the first time and lobbied for his friend to stay – they are reunited again. Through education we can breed tolerance and the Youth Forum has a vital role to play in sharing best practice and promoting human rights amongst young people, and I believe the latest draft of the Work Plan, looking at the development of migrant organisations will strengthen the Youth Forums profile.

Participation
We have a great opportunity to develop the dissemination of best practice to get young people involved and engaged. In the UK I was part of a team that develop standards for all to follow. IFM-SEI at its heart is about getting young people participating in society, at one of our many camps this summer we focused on Anti-Apathy, getting young people thinking critically. With young people from all backgrounds we can reach out and engage and only with young people from all background can we achieve change!

Without young people’s involvement in the design, delivery and dissemination of things that effect them we will achieve little. From the political party to the school young people should be engaged at all levels.

In 2005 in colleges and schools around the country we established with the UK Youth Parliament the Operation Student Vote. As coordinator I worked to promote not only voting but engagement in the political process being part of the Votes at 16 campaign, something which I still believe in strongly. This was 4 years on from my involvement in the declaration that eventually created ESSA (English School Students Association), the UK member OBESSU.

Education
With school parliaments, and youth clubs an integrated approach to Life Long Learning is vital. The YFJ’s recent adoption of papers calling for better vocational education, education as a Right and free education are important stand points as formal education is a vital key for young peoples progression. This doesn’t mean that non-formal education can be overlooked, and the development of standards in non-formal education will eventually come. I believe that we must be there, creating the peer lead frameworks for our own standards for education in this area, keeping non-formal education non-formal.

The range of organisations that I have worked with from scouting, student, youth councils and youth clubs gives me the unique perspective in representing the wide range of membership that we have in the Forum. I believe fully that we can make a real impact and as I said at the start “span that world with friendship”

Please do contact me on the details above to talk about my candidature and I hope that I will see you at the General Assembly, where you will feel confident to vote for me.

In friendship,

Lloyd

Labels: British Youth Council, Elections, european youth forum, IFM-SEI, International Falcon Movment-Socalist Education International, yfj, youth

Well what a year it has been, we have had a stronger Welcome week, a packed programme and more engagement. I want to draw councillors attention to three things.

National Union of Students and Elections

We have just had the elections of the National Union of Students Delegates as well as other positions, I think that these went well and I want to extend my thanks to the fantastic team that ran the elections.

From the elections it was quite clear that most of Bradford’s delegates are sceptical, if not out right against the recent proposed changes. I would like to make sure that council is aware of this and when the time comes is prepared to put in amendments to make the proposals better. I hope that council will support our delegates in putting these changes forward.

I also note that after the Extra-Ordinary Conference we will have a referenda for NUS, I intend to convene an elections committee to help run that elections and expect to hold it before the new year.

Trustee Board and Honorary Treasurer

The Union has been re-modelling the way it run so that we are more efficient. I have been very keen to make sure that we make no statutory changes to how we operate and that we enshrine the principle of Students running the Union. We have moved towards the executive holding monthly meetings which deal with staffing and strategy issues. These minutes will be presented to you and are put with the executive reports. The meetings are held under the rules for Executive meetings but with particular agenda items.

It is however the case that we have an external Hon. Treasurer, this is so that there is internal and external controls. At present it is Nick Buck is due to retire at the end o f the year and the Union has put two names forward they are Simon Croll (former sabbatical of UBU and now head of the HUB) and Graham Hill (Friend of the Union and Lead for many project boards). The University will present the agreed candidate and these will have to be agreed by both the Union and University Councils.

Financial Control

Over the last few years the Union has been lax with its financial controls, due to fire fighting. This year is no different but we are expected to make short fall. It is therefore vital that we make cost savings as well as keeping a strong control on the Budgets. This year I have set up a process of budget setting, trying to devolve the setting down to departments who will report back to the Finance and Scrutiny committee for final approval.

Our accounts are in the process of being signed off and by the end of the year Council will have then to ask questions and present before the next General Meeting.

If you have any questions then please either phone me on 07899 785 265 or email ubu-ust@bradford.ac.uk”

Labels: National Union of Students, UBU, Universy of Bradford, Universy of Bradford Union

Just thought that I would add short note. This weekend I will presnt to the Council of the Woodcraft folk the proposal for the next Venturer Camp 2010. The camps cater for young people who are over 12 to under 16, and last theme was Anti-Apathy. We held the camp and it was a great success, you can see some of the videos and info from the camp at www.venturercamp.org.uk.

We held a meeting open to all members which about 30 young people turned up to decided the future of the next camp - and in fact they decided it should focus on the future.

The idea of looking in the future - seeing what world we want to build and making the change to get there - it is a great theme. I hope that Council will approve the project idea and let us get on with it.

If you went to the last venturer camp and have any feedback or want to getinvoled in the next one then contact Dan the camp coordinator and I (the assistant) on vcamp@woodcraft.org.uk

Labels: Camp, Council, Venturer, Woodcraft Folk, youth

A year ago around this week a group of students, ex-students and people who just cared got together. Fed up with house prices, and not wanting to pay to a landlord Branches Housing Cooperative was born.

No one would have quite predicted that the economy would end up this way - no one would have quite thought that whilst being so dramatic, the outcome for could have the potential of redressing the housing balance.

I had been saying for years that the house prices would drop and like in the 80's, 90's and before that they would crash leaving thousands in negative equity. I, however didn't quite realise that extent of how it was going to be (I don't think that many did).

I was told last week that "Bankers were just following each other, everyone hoping that someone knew what they were doing - while no one really did". Well, we can see where that has lead.

I believe that rather than this meaning that it should be harder to buy, instead people who choose safer, and in the end mutual options will win out.

Branches, is a radical housing cooperative, part of the Radical Roots network of coops committed to changing the world.

Radical Roots have an investment arm, which has a 100% lending record, it can achieve this because it has are real understanding of coops. With the process of lending going through peer reviews, making sure that people get the best for them not what is for the Banks.

As long as we have Banks that want to make profit we will have what we have seen over the last few months. The future has to be mutual solutions, owned by their memebrs, developed by the people not fat cats in the city.

Labels: Branches, Cooperatives, Radical Roots