jmg@sftig.UUCP (J.McGhee) (10/07/85)
On Thursday, October 10, 1985 Claire Short, a member of the British Parliament representing Birmingham, England will give testimony before the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs of the U.S. Congress. At the hearing which will convene at 2:30 pm in room 2257 of the Rayburn Congressional Office Building in Washington, DC, Ms. Short will speak on the subject of why England must withdraw from Ireland. Claire Short was elected to Parliament in 1983 from the Ladywood district of Birmingham. Before entering Parliament she had served as the Director of Youthaid, a political action group on unemployment. Since that time she has served as the Labour Party's front-bench spokesperson on employment, has been a member of the Labour Party Committee on Northern Ireland which promotes the policy of withdrawal from Northern Ireland within the Labour Party and has served as chairperson of the All-Party Race Relations Group which works against racism in employment and housing in England. In addition she has served as an observer of local council elections in Belfast in May 1985 and was an observer at political trials in Belfast in January 1985. In May 1985 Ms. Short came to the U.S. to speak with members of Congress individually and also spoke to citizens groups in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania on the subject of the growing anti-war sentiment in England among members of Parliament and the public for what is becoming known as "England's Viet Nam". At that time she was acclaimed for her knowledgeable and compelling presentation. Claire Short had intended to return to the U.S. in September 1985, but was forced to cancel her trip at that time because of very serious rioting as a result of racial tensions in her home district of Birmingham. On Friday evening, October 11, 1985 at 8pm a reception will be held at Nibbles Restaurant in the Roger Smith Hotel, 505 Lexington Avenue (near 47th Street) in New York at which Ms. Short will speak and will meet the public. In addition a film will be shown and musical entertainment will be provided. Ms. Short will then continue on to various speaking engagements in the midwestern U.S. where she will speak on the subject of youth unemployment. J. M. McGhee