Communist Party of Wales
Encyclopedia
The Welsh Communist Party, is part of the Communist Party of Britain
. The leader of the Communist Party of Britain, Robert Griffiths
, is Welsh
.
, under the question "How can we challenge the "New World Order" and create a people's Wales?", with speakers invited from across the progressive
, labour and socialist movements, including:
The Communist University of Wales is now a bi-annual event attracting scores of left wing and progressive Welsh activists over the course of its weekend of courses.
The Welsh Communist Party built on its electoral work in the 2007 National Assembly elections fielding 20 candidates in the five electoral regions of Wales thus qualifying for TV election broadcasts the first by the Communist Party in over 40 years. In total the Welsh Communists polled almost four thousand votes and in doing so increased the size of its vote in the two regions that it contested in 2003 by 34% and 42%.
In 2008 the Welsh Communist Party contested 11 seats in the Local Government elections across five council areas (Cardiff; Caerphilly; Merthyr Tydfil; Rhondda Cynon Taff and Swansea). The Communist vote ranged from 2.9% to 12.6%, averaging 5.5% in the seats contested. In these elections the Welsh Communist Party made an electoral break through with the election of Clive Griffiths to the Hirwaun & Penderyn Community Council, the first Communist councillor in Wales since the early 1990s.
The Party holds a bi-annual Welsh Congress that decides the Communist Party's policy as they apply to the circumstances in Wales and elects an Executive Committee that runs the Party in Wales between Congresses. The last Welsh Congress, held in Pontypridd in November 2009, up dated the Welsh Communist Party's programme "Real Power for the People of Wales".
The leader of the Welsh Communist Party is Rick Newnham who also sits on the Communist Party of Britain's Executive Committee.
Communist Party of Britain
The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
. The leader of the Communist Party of Britain, Robert Griffiths
Robert Griffiths (politician)
Robert Griffiths is the general-secretary of the Communist Party of Britain . He was elected by the CPB's Executive Committee in January 1998, in place of Mike Hicks, who, along with others, subsequently left the party he had a major role in founding....
, is Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
.
Activities
In November 2004, the Welsh Communist Party hosted a Communist University in PontypriddPontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
, under the question "How can we challenge the "New World Order" and create a people's Wales?", with speakers invited from across the progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
, labour and socialist movements, including:
- Robert Griffiths, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Britain
- George GallowayGeorge GallowayGeorge Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
, Respect CoalitionRESPECT The Unity CoalitionRespect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
MP - John Haylett, editor of the Morning StarThe Morning StarThe Morning Star is a left wing British daily tabloid newspaper with a focus on social and trade union issues. Articles and comment columns are contributed by writers from socialist, social democratic, green and religious perspectives....
- Andrew MurrayAndrew MurrayAndrew or Andy Murray may refer to: * Andrew Murray, often spelt Andrew Moray, leader of the Scots during the Scottish Wars of Independence...
, chairman of the Stop the War CoalitionStop the War CoalitionThe Stop the War Coalition is a United Kingdom group set up on 21 September 2001 that campaigns against what it believes are unjust wars.... - Leanne WoodLeanne WoodLeanne Wood AM , is a Welsh politician, born in the Rhondda, Wales, who has represented the South Wales Central region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the National Assembly for Wales since 2003. Wood is known as a republican and socialist....
, Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
member of the Welsh Assembly.
The Communist University of Wales is now a bi-annual event attracting scores of left wing and progressive Welsh activists over the course of its weekend of courses.
Local elections
The Welsh Communist Party fielded six candidates in the 2004 local elections. In Shotton, the Communist Party beat the Conservative Party. The results were as follows:| Candidate | Ward | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Rhian Cartwright | Splott Splott Splott is a district in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Splott Farms. Splott is characterised by its once vast steelworks and rows of tightly... (Cardiff) |
1.9 |
| Fran Rawlings | Adamstown Adamstown Adamstown may refer to one of the following places:Australia:* Adamstown, New South Wales, a town in New South WalesIreland:* Adamstown, County Wexford, a village in County Wexford* Adamstown, Dublin, an urban village in County Dublin... (Cardiff) |
3 |
| Rick Newnham | Taff's Well (R.C.T.) | 3.3 |
| Nigel Maskell | Mountain Ash Mountain Ash, Wales Mountain Ash is a town and community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, deep in the South Wales Valleys of Wales. Mountain Ash is situated in the Cynon Valley and has a population of 7,039... East (R.C.T.) |
2 |
| Roy Evans | Vaynor (Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... ) |
11.6 |
| Glyn Davies | Shotton Shotton, Flintshire Shotton is a town in Flintshire, north Wales, lying on the River Dee. The name derives from the Old Norse words sjò and tùn . It is continuous with the towns of Connah's Quay and Queensferry in what is called Deeside... (Flintshire Flintshire Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders... ) |
21.6 |
| Average Vote |
|---|
| 7.2% |
The Welsh Communist Party built on its electoral work in the 2007 National Assembly elections fielding 20 candidates in the five electoral regions of Wales thus qualifying for TV election broadcasts the first by the Communist Party in over 40 years. In total the Welsh Communists polled almost four thousand votes and in doing so increased the size of its vote in the two regions that it contested in 2003 by 34% and 42%.
In 2008 the Welsh Communist Party contested 11 seats in the Local Government elections across five council areas (Cardiff; Caerphilly; Merthyr Tydfil; Rhondda Cynon Taff and Swansea). The Communist vote ranged from 2.9% to 12.6%, averaging 5.5% in the seats contested. In these elections the Welsh Communist Party made an electoral break through with the election of Clive Griffiths to the Hirwaun & Penderyn Community Council, the first Communist councillor in Wales since the early 1990s.
Party Organisation
The Welsh Communist Party has over 100 members organised in 9 branches across Wales: Cardiff, Monmouthshire & Borders,West Wales, Newport & Valleys, Swansea, Merthyr & Cynon Valley, Pontypridd, North West Wales and Flintshire.The Party holds a bi-annual Welsh Congress that decides the Communist Party's policy as they apply to the circumstances in Wales and elects an Executive Committee that runs the Party in Wales between Congresses. The last Welsh Congress, held in Pontypridd in November 2009, up dated the Welsh Communist Party's programme "Real Power for the People of Wales".
The leader of the Welsh Communist Party is Rick Newnham who also sits on the Communist Party of Britain's Executive Committee.