Red Alert/Rhybudd Coch
Summer 2002 (Volume 6 Issue 2)
INDEX
Build
the collective leadership of the Communist Party in Wales
John Lent, Welsh secretary CPB, reflects on his recent election and outlines
the immediate priorities for the Communist Party in Wales.
At the March meeting of the Communist Party’s Welsh Committee I was elected
to succeed Dominic MacAskill as the Welsh secretary. The Committee placed on
record its appreciation of Dominic’s invaluable input over the last 5 years
and went onto elect Dominic as the Committee’s chairperson. The new arrangements
will allow Dominic to concentrate on his work within Unison and as the Convenor
of Wales Trades Unions Against the Single Currency, whilst maintaining an important
role in the leadership of the Communist Party in Wales.
By inclination as well as by necessity, I shall be looking to build on, and
develop, the existing collective leadership as represented by the Welsh Committee.
Resources do not permit the Communist Party to fund a full- time secretaryship
which, while limiting, does mean that your active support and patience is especially
critical.
Together through increasing our collective all Wales campaigns, and through
branch activity, the Communist Party can start to put down markers in the coming
period in our own localities, and throughout the whole of Wales, continuing
the process of developing our profile in Welsh political life.
In order to re-enforce this collective leadership, the Welsh Committee elected
a new Secretariat (John Lent, Brian Williams and Dominic MacAskill) which will
meet at least every two months between Welsh Committee meetings.
I have highlighted below some of the most important issues arising from the
last Welsh Committee and Secretariat meetings:
- 46th All Britain Congress - the Welsh Committee decided that the make up
of the Welsh delegation should be determined by the activity of the branches,
that is why 2 places were allocated to Cardiff, Deeside, Gwent and Pontypridd
branches and no places to Swansea or West Wales. The final two places were
elected directly by the Welsh Committee. With all the elec¨ tions in, the
complete delegation is Glyn Davies (WC), John Lent (WC), Fran Rawlings (Cardiff),
Matthew Hall (Cardiff), Nikki Hardman (Deeside), Dave Morgan (Deeside), Carol
Virgo (Gwent), Chris Leaman (Gwent), Nigel Maskell (Pontypridd) & Clive Griffiths
(Pontypridd). ¨
- The Welsh Committee agreed to launch a Congress Appeal to raise the £1000.00
needed to transport and provide accommodation to the delegation. Waged comrades
who are not attending Congress are particularly encouraged to give as generously
as they can. ¨
- Young Communist League - tremendous work has been done in relaunching the
YCL in Wales with a north and south Wales branch established and a Welsh delegation
playing a significant role at the All Britain YCL conference held in March.
All young comrades are urged to contact their nearest branch: north Wales
(hipa08@bangor.ac.uk) south Wales (che9@ukonline.co.uk) and join in. ¨
- Trade Unions and Wales TASC work - although the Communist Party had a more
low key presence outside the Wales TUC conference than last year; its influence
is starting to tell on the conference floor, with more lively debate beginning
to creep in and with the General Council starting to feel the heat. The Morning
Star was sold out on each day with 50,70 & 70 copies sold over the three days
and the Morning Star collection raised over £260.00. The Morning Star also
surprisingly won the endorsement of the First Minister in his speech to the
conference. Wales TASC would have had a more visible presence if its stall
hadn’t kept blowing away, but in spite of this 100s of leaflets were given
out and a quantity of the newly produced ‘DIM EURO’ T- shirts sold. ¨
- Anti War and pro Palestinian work - the Welsh Committee is calling for a
maximum mobilisation for the 18th May demonstration in London and for comrades
to get involved in the campaigns locally. Communist have play a positive role
in mobilising for the recent Cardiff and Newport demonstrations and putting
on a successful public meeting in Pontypridd. Keep up the good work! ¨
- National Assembly elections 2003 - the next Welsh Committee meeting to be
held on 26th May will discuss the Communist Party’s strategy for these elections.
The Secretariat will be recommending that the Party contests three regions
in order to qualify for an election broadcast probably the first since the
Willie Gallagher era. If your not on the Welsh Committee and you wish to contribute
to this discussion then write to me before the meeting. ¨
- Marxism-Leninism Education - the Cardiff branch should be commended on its
recent ‘An Introduction to Marxism-Leninism’ three class course (Historical
& Dialectical Materialism, Capitalism Exploitation & Revolutionary Politics).
Other branches are encouraged to follow Cardiff’s lead, keep in touch with
Nikki for advice on courses and tutors. ¨
- Communist Summer Camp - building on the M-L Education theme, the Welsh Committee
is co-ordinating a get together and education class at this years Tolpuddle
Festival - see page 2 for more details. ¨
- Fete De L’Humanite - information will be coming out shortly on the south
Wales trip to Paris. I suggest you beat the rush and book a place on the coach
now.
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46th
All Britain Communist Party Congress
WELSH
£1000.00 Appeal
The Communist Party in Wales needs to find the funds to send
12 people (10 delegates and 2 Rebecca Books stall staff) to the Congress in
London, put them up in Bed & Breakfast for two nights, as well as pay £80 per
delegate credentials fees. The £1000.00 target is a minimum and therefore every
effort needs to be made by individuals and branches. The Welsh Committee is
especially calling on waged comrades who will not be going to Congress to be
as generous as possible, but would like all comrades to contribute something
however small. Send cheques (made payable to ‘WCCPB’) to WCCPB, c/o CCTUS, 131
Crwys Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4NH. Time is short! Don’t think twice! Send
your cheque today!
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Welsh
Communists Summer Social & Education Camp
Friday night 19th, Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st July Tolpuddle
near Dorchester, Dorset
The Communist Party in Wales intends to make use of the trade
union & labour movement’s annual festival & rally, in honour of the Tolpuddle
Martyrs, to have a social and educational get together. This will be the event
of the year don't miss it! The Tolpuddle camp site costs £20.00 per tent for
the weekend (open from 4pm Friday). You will need to book your pitch via the
SW TUC, Church House, Church Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7BD Tel: 0117 947 0521
www.tuc.org.uk/tolpuddle Welsh comrades will arrive on the Friday evening, pitch
our tents together and raise the red flag. Mini bus and car transport will be
available. There are no major events organised on the Saturday and this is when
the Marxism - Leninism education classes will be held, the rest of the weekend
is the social part. For further information contact Dominic on 07779140118
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Communist
Debate in the Capitalist Press
Wales TASC, Unison and the Communist Party take on the leadership
of AMICUS - AEEU in the letter pages of the Western Mail.
Cuttings from Western Mail letters page from: 31.01.02, 13.03.02,
03.04.02, 08.04.02, 13.04.02 & 23.04.02
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