Our Future is Socialism!

The 18th Congress of the New Communist Party of Britain

by New Worker correspondent

Marx House was packed as comrades gathered for the 18th Congress of the New Communist Party of Britain (NCP). That historic house in Clerkenwell Green, with its memories of Lenin and the Marxist pioneers of the British working class movement, was once again the venue for the NCP’s triennial congress that took place over the first weekend in December.

DPR Korea ambassador Hyon Hak Bong

Congress was opened by National Chair Alex Kempshall, and delegates and guests stood in silence to remember comrades Jack Harrison, Peter Harrison, Marguerite Oldham, Renee Sams, Dolly Shaer and Eric Trevett who had sadly all passed away since the last congress.

After the formalities of electing tellers, the Congress panels and standing orders committees, General Secretary Andy Brooks moved the main resolution that was the product of the intense discussion which has taken place in the Party Cells, Districts and the Central Committee over the past 11 months.

 The NCP leader said: “Surely it is an obscenity when one of the richest countries in the world spends billions on the Trident nuclear weapons system and overseas aggression while millions are unemployed or working for bread-line wages. Surely it is obscene that millions of working people are being driven to the food banks and forced to live in the abject poverty of the benefits cuts regime whilst the rich brazenly flaunt the wealth they’ve acquired through extortion, exploitation and plunder at home and abroad.

Laotian ambassador Sayakane Sisuvong

“We meet as working people to rally round the new left-social democratic leaders of the Labour Party against austerity and take to the streets to oppose the bombing of Syria.

“We meet as the Tory government launches a new wave of oppression that threatens to strip the unions of their last remaining immunities that takes us further down the road to the authoritarian state and the open dictatorship of the bourgeoisie.

“We meet today in a world where the primary contradiction is still between American imperialism and the rest of the world it seeks to dominate…”

Over the weekend delegates spoke about imperialism, revisionism, and the growing resistance to austerity in Britain and throughout Europe. Comrades called for greater campaigning to end the partition of Ireland and the need to build solidarity with the anti-fascist movements in Ukraine, and heard reports of the struggle across the globe.

 Four London ambassadors from the people’s democracies of Cuba, Korea, Laos and Vietnam brought solidarity greetings from their ruling parties. Representatives from the Italian Communists, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), AKEL (Cyprus) and the African Liberation Support Campaign of Ghana (ALISC) spoke in detail about their campaigns. We heard comrades from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) praise our joint work over the years and a message from our new friends in the British Posadist movement.

Vietnamese ambassador Nguyen Van Thao

            Other honoured guests included representatives from the embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the Workers Party of Ireland and the chair of the Colchester Trades Council, present during the two-day congress that charted the course of the Party for the next three years.

Delegates spoke about the sweeping changes in the Labour Party following Jeremy Corbyn’s victory last summer, and the role of the peace and anti-war movement in the mass movement. Others talked about our achievements, including the launch of the new 12-page [New Worker] and building the cell organisation in London and supporters groups in other parts of the country.

On Sunday delegates raised £746 for the New Worker fighting fund, and voted to endorse the reports of the standing orders and panels committees; and the main resolution, setting out the NCP’s policy for the next three years, was agreed.

Cuban ambassador Terisita Vicente

Winding up, NCP leader Andy Brooks said: “We salute the revolutionary parties and peoples of China, Cuba, Democratic Korea, Vietnam and Laos. In taking the socialist course, these countries are transforming their nations and serving the interests of the working class throughout the world. We salute the revolutionary parties throughout the world that have rejected revisionism and opportunism and hold high the Red Banner of Revolution.

“Our party came into being out of the struggle against revisionism, with the intention that we strive to serve the interests of the working class. We shall not be diverted from that.

“Let us work together to build the movement that will ensure that this century becomes the era of socialism”.

Our future is socialism!

Andy Brooks & Alex Kempshall listen to Explo Nani Kofi speak

 By New Worker Correspondent

Marx House was packed on Saturday as delegates and guests gathered for the 18th Congress of the New Communist Party of Britain (NCP). That historic house in Clerkenwell Green, with its memories of Lenin and the Marxist pioneers of the British working class movement, was once again the venue for the NCP’s triennial congress that took place over the first weekend in December.

Delegates stood in silence to remember comrades Jack Harrison, Peter Harrison, Marguerite Oldham, Renee Sams, Dolly Shaer and Eric Trevett who had sadly all passed away since the last congress. Last weekend comrades heard reports of the struggle across the globe. Four London ambassadors from the people’s democracies of Cuba, Korea, Laos and Vietnam brought solidarity greetings from their ruling parties. Representatives from the Italian Communists, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), AKEL (Cyprus) and the African Liberation Support Campaign of Ghana (ALISC) spoke in detail about their campaigns. We heard comrades from the Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain praise our joint work over the years and a message from our new friends in the British Posadist movement.

 Other honoured guests included representatives from the embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Workers Party of Ireland and the chair of the Colchester Trades Council, present during the two-day congress that charted the course of the Party for the next three years.

Funeral for domestic violence refuges

 By New Worker correspondent

THE FOUNTAINS in Trafalgar Square ran red with dye on Saturday 28th November , symbolising the blood shed by women victims of domestic violence, in a powerful protest at the loss of 32 domestic violence refuges around the country due to the austerity cuts.

The event was organised by the campaigning group Sisters Uncut – many of whom have been victims of domestic violence.

It started with a rally of around 500 women in Soho Square, many dressed in mourning with black veils, who stood in a circle and read out the 100-plus names of women who have been murdered by their partners or ex-partners within the last year.

Many local authorities have been forced by the Tory austerity cuts to reduce or close domestic violence services.

Last year more than 6,000 women in desperate need were turned away from the remaining over-full refuges. This leaves them with a choice of going back to a home where they are in danger or trying to live on the streets as beggars – and this also is not a safe option.

Yet in last week’s Autumn Budget Statement Chancellor George Osborne said that he planned to cut another 56 per cent from local authority services and domestic violence refuges, and services are likely to completely disappear.

Osborne has said he will use the money generated by the seven per cent VAT charged on tampons and sanitary pads to fund women’s centres and refuges. But speakers were angry that a tax they are forced to pay for a basic necessity will become the only funding for women’s services.

Speakers at the rally likened this to “putting a sticking plaster on a haemorrhage”. They said the responsibility for supporting women’s services that save women from dying at the hands of violent partners is that of the whole population. On average two women a week in Britain are killed by their partners or ex-partners.

The rally set off with many banners and placards, chanting loudly all the way down the Charing Cross Road.

One banner, fringed by dangling red-dyed tampons, proclaimed: “This blood won’t wash the blood from Osborne’s hands.” Another said: “Our blood should not pay for our rape.”

They paused for a brief occupation at major intersections like Cambridge Circus and in front of St Martin-in-the-Fields, where a loud cheer went up as they blocked traffic from all directions.

The march ended in Trafalgar Square, with more speeches and adding red dye to the fountains. “They cut; we bleed” was the message.

The protest coincided with the United Nations International Day for Ending Violence Against Women.

Sisters Uncut are demanding no cuts to domestic violence support services, and guaranteed funding for specialist support for those helping help black and minority ethnic women.