On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Communist Party, I send you seasonal greetings and best wishes for the New Year.
Over the past 12 months, there has been no relief from the dire problems that confront many millions of people across the globe. The number of deaths from Covid-19 has more than doubled to 148,000 in Britain and to 51/2 million worldwide.
People fleeing destitution, disease and war continue to drown in the English Channel and the Mediterranean, or suffer the most atrocious conditions in makeshift camps from Calais to the Ukraine and beyond.
Yet, as ever, the world’s richest capitalist countries refuse to use their wealth and power to resolve these and other chronic problems such as malnutrition and global warming. Instead, led by the USA, Britain and NATO, they have embarked on a new nuclear arms race and a second Cold War aimed primarily at China.
In such a climate, the forces of the far right are resurgent on almost every continent, although those of the left and anti-imperialism are fighting back from Chile and Portugal to Sudan and India. Spain’s Communist vice-president has steered a bill through the Cortes outlawing precarious work; in Russia, the Communists won 24% of the votes despite Putin’s ballot-rigging; and in Israel, the CP leads the third biggest group in the Knesset, opposing the illegal occupation of Palestinian and Syrian territories.
China, Cuba and Vietnam continue to act as islands of sanity and beacons of hope in a world still dominated by the power of monopoly capital and the states that govern on its behalf.
In 2022, the main question for Communists in England, Scotland and Wales will be this: how can we make the most effective contribution to the struggle against British ruling class policies at home and abroad?
How can we best inform, inspire and help mobilise the labour and progressive movements against ‘hire and fire’ and a new wave of austerity, against racism, against militarism, for public services, for industrial investment and jobs, for women’s equality, for a Weath Tax, for higher wages, pensions and benefits? How can we best defend the NHS?
Millions of people will see their fuel bills rocketing from April. How can mass opposition and a campaign for the renationalisation of gas and electricity be built, as the Labour Party leadership turns its back on left and progressive policies?
How can we strengthen working-class and progressive unity and take forward the fight for a federal Britain, against the centralising forces of unionism and the divisive forces of separatism?
How can we build a broad, people’s alliance against the capitalist monopolies and their state power, and for a left-wing programme?
Our successful 56th Congress last November set the Party’s priorities for the coming period. Now those fine words must be turned into action. A united, disciplined and growing Communist Party and Young Communist League can have an impact way beyond our greatly increased numbers.
As the threat of Covid recedes, the Party must be ready to go into action in local communities and workplaces, in the battle of ideas and through the media old and new. Laws that further restrict the right to protest will have to be defied.
But that will require all CP members to play their part in strengthening our Party branches, district and nation committees, commissions and trade union advisories. In particular, we must draw many more new and existing members into our Marxist-Leninist education programmes.
The first meeting of the incoming Executive Committee on January 15-16th will elect the Party’s main officers and the new Political Committee.
But the EC will also issue a clarion call to all Communists and allies. There will be fresh initiatives to campaign for a New Deal for workers, public ownership and decent homes for all, and to combat global warming and Britain’s racist immigration and nationality laws.
Assisted by the magnificent Morning Star, we will help build the trade union movement, the People’s Assembly, the National Assembly of Women and the anti-war movement including the anti-imperialist World Peace Council in Britain.
Immediate priorities must include local and central preparations to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 and to begin selecting many more Communist candidates for the local elections on May 5.
We will expose the hypocrisy and lies of Britain’s Conservative government and the refusal of the Labour leadership to defend people’s living standards, democratic rights and peace.
We will hold high the banner of socialism. Our flag stays red!
Yours for Communism,
Robert Griffiths
General Secretary