I am grateful to have the opportunity to deal with some of these issues.
The article implied that the Communist Party is in favour of what is described as 'coalitionism'. This is, quite simply, not true. Ken's argument appears to be based on a very strange interpretation of our view on proportional representation.
Unlike most other political parties, we actually take our stand on democratic principles - ana not on we think this or that particular fiddle will benefit this or that particular party.
Our position, unequivocally, is that the most democratic electoral system is that which most adequately reflects the view of the electorate. To suggest, as the article does, that this means that the Communist Party would be prepared, either itself to enter into coalition alliances with other parties hostile to socialism, or to encourage the Labour Party to do so, is a gross distortion. Gerry Cohen approach to the concept of alliances not some unprincipled approach based on 'coalitionism'.
With regard to the way forward for the left in the Labour Party, the Communist Party has always argued that the key is mass campaigning into struggle around the issues of the day, alongside consistent discussion, explanation, and ideological bativeness. rep- A recurring theme of the most reWake cent meeting of the Communist Party Executive Committee on 12 March 1983, following the setbacks of the outcome of the miners' ballot and the Bermondsey by-election, 'the battle for the hearts and minds of the working class will not be won only by initiatives from the top. has to be engaged in continuing fashion, The Communist Party has consistently warned that the fight for left democratic duvalice Labour Party should not be seen as more important to develop the fight to movement among the people.
Learn 'Palace Revolutions' in constithey tuency Labour Parties or elsewhere, which result in right wing Labour candidates being replaced, ultra-lefts or others, will not only not necessarily be helpful to Labour's prospects. They positively harmful, the internal struggle is at the expense of. and takes precedence over. fight to take progressive policies to Lue code.
There are many in the Labour Party who have yet to learn that internal manoeuvering to win support for a particular political attitude within the no politics.
From this point of view, I am completely in acreement with Ker Livingstone's concluding point that What is needed is a campaigning party with radical socialist policies.
This brings me to the points made in the article about the Communist Party itself; points which I find difmaking, when he think thất CUI® views were relevant.
1o assume that. munist candidate, Bob Gordon, got only fifty votes in Bermondsey, 'the serious politician to draw.
bringing people by-election result.
arzucs in the which he does precisely that, was that alive and well, and living in Britain!
always by our friends, that the inlevel. '** fluence and importance of the Comscene is far greater than either the the votes cast for it at election times, or the size of its membership, would sugseparate mass pointed with our small vote in Berwhich minority parties have to conwhelner Dy comfort from Ken's view that 'history especially when has moved on past the British Comthe to rejoice too soon. All the evidence suggests that history has yet to determine its own destiny, have it decided in advance by Ken Liv.
Coltimum arty does no exech the for mass considerable, and in some cases quite decisive, influence.
the crucial arena of trade nice of the said that he didn't socialist advance. Communist Party's party is as deeply rooted in the workbecause Com- organisations. Communist Party canvassing. Gordon McLennan, CP general secretary (centre) joins John Peck (left), national election agent and Bermondsey candidate Bob Gordon. Communist Party is dying on its feet' is an unworthy conclusion for any In the first instance, it is most unwise to draw generalised political conclusions concerning any party, based on the experience of one particular Ken Livingstone "that Bermondsey was totally untypical of everything else in the recent electoral Let me assure Ken, and all your readers, that the Communist Party is enemies. it not munist Party in the British political for voung peoble more votes, win seats, and have a mondsey. The result underlined yet again the enormous difficulties with tend in the present British electoral munist Party.' I would urge them not Final, wnen There is scarcely a major area of Nowhere is this more so i*as = movement struggle at the struggle for left an No other politica ing class, or as firmly based in its In a whole number of other vitally important arenas, the influence of the its Communist Party is there for all to gain positions, or any sort of sectarian advantage; it is so because we, as an sincerely concerned to develop struggle around the great issues of the day, and to help the people to win victories March for Jobs 1981, was initiated by the Communist Party as an important Committee of the Labour Party were trying to resist the organisation of a People's March for Jobs this year, it was the Communists who were to the forefront in the fight to ensure it takes Party members immersed in all the racism and sexism, for a decent future few then members of our Party when it appeared to some that the left was all set to roll on to victory in the that there was no longer any need for a Communist have been shattered for many, as a result of the way in which the right tenaciously fought back, and indeed almost wholly under the control of left argued that the traditional link Labour Party should be was the Communists who abore ad resisted this view, and argeed that the tribution that the Communist Party has made over the years, and continues to make, is to maintain in existence a national daily newspaper — ship with the Communist Party, and successive Annual General Meetings over the years have reaffirmed that, while providing a platform for widely differing expressions of left and democratic opinion, the paper will express editorially the position of the Communist Party.
It is equally well known that the Morning Star could not have survived without the existence of the Communist Party itself. No other political party of the left in Britain can point to anything like this achievement. The sustaining national newspaper, advocating revolutionar Britain in capitalist crisis is an ex perience unique to the Communisi There are of course many non. Communist individuals, organisations, which have supported and will in future support, the Morn. ing Star.
There are many non-Communist donors to the Morning Star Fighting Fund; and more will be welcome. There many non-Communis shareholders in the PPPS; and more that the Morning Star could have sur. vived without the committment and determination of the Communist Par.
whatever problems, and there certainly are many, the Communist Party.
to make a vital contribution to British politics. Given the possible avenues of development of the political scene and given the recent experiences of the Communist Party and the Morn ing Star, the pointers are that that tradiction that, in the face of attack on so many different fronts, by one of HUSL government Britain has seen this century, there has not been the massive revulsion Toryism one might have exyou consider that Britain is ruled by a capitalist class that is still enormously and incomparably resilient. No ruling class anywhere in the world is more of coercion and consent to provide the medicine by which it maintains itself tragic pre-occupation of the left with its self flagellation, tending to frag represent and distort either the views. or the condition, of what is probably the most effectively organised unit for the generation of Marxist ideas in the British labour and democratic nore.
Dira Communis Per Both the above are available from te • Next week Vladimer Derer of the