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Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)

2024-01-11T03:12:33Z

VioletAugust: Amended with consideration to the discussion had with GojiraTheWuMao and RedCustodian

{{Infobox political party|name=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)|logo=Emblem of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) PNG.svg.png|founded=3 July, 2004|abbreviation=CPGB-ML|chairperson=[[Ella Rule]]|newspaper=''[[Proletarian (newspaper)|Proletarian]]''|youth_wing=Red Youth|political_orientation=[[Marxism–Leninism]] 
[[Anti-revisionism]] (''de-jure'') 
[[Opportunism|Right-Opportunism]] (''de-facto'')|website=https://thecommunists.org|twitter=CPGBML|youtube=https://www.youtube.com/c/ProletarianCPGBML|Vice Chairperson(s)=}}{{Communist parties}}
The '''Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)''' (CPGB-ML) is a [[Marxism-leninism|Marxist-Leninist]] political party based in the United Kingdom, specifically England, Scotland and Wales. It was founded in July 2004 by former members of the [[Socialist Labour Party (UK)|Socialist Labour Party]] who were expelled for supporting [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES]] states,<ref name=":0">{{News citation|date=2004-08|title=Formation of the CPGB-ML|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=10|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> as well as some members of the original [[Communist Party of Great Britain]].<ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Jack Shapiro lives forever in our hearts!|date=2009-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2009/12/01/news/jack-shapiro-lives-forever-in-our-hearts/}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Remembering departed comrades|date=2008-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/12/01/news/remembering-departed-comrades/}}</ref> Today the party is the largest and most prominent Marxist-Leninist party in the United Kingdom, mostly due to its extensive online and media outreach and the prolific activities of its founder and former chairman, [[Harpal Brar]]; he has founded and run a number of pro-communist organisations, including the [[Indian Workers' Association]] and the [[Stalin Society]].

The party runs two bi-monthly newspapers: ''[[Proletarian]]'', which mainly considers current affairs, and ''[[Lalkar]]'', which consists of more long-form theoretical content. The party also runs the YouTube channel [[Proletarian TV]] from which it uploads its conferences, speeches from its members, pro-communist documentaries it does not own, and other similar material. To support its written content, ''Proletarian'' articles are given voiceovers on ''[[Proletarian Radio]]''. Despite being staunchly anti-revisionist, the party still supports current-day [[People's Republic of China|China]], so much so that Harpal Brar himself co-founded the [[Hands Off China (Campaign)|Hands Off China]] campaign and published a book on China: ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''.<ref>[https://shop.thecommunists.org/product/socialism-with-chinese-characteristics-2020/ ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''] by Harpal Brar</ref>

==History==

===Formation of the party===
[[File:Cpgb-ml may day 2013.jpg|left|thumb|CPGB-ML [[International Workers' Day|May Day]] procession, 2013]]
The CPGB-ML was formed in 2004, believing itself to be the "natural progression of the CPGB of the 1920s and 30s" (for they believe that the decline of that original party began with the publication of ''[[Communist Party of Britain#Britain's Road to Socialism|The British Road to Socialism]]'' in 1951).<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-04|title=A critique of “Britain’s Road to Socialism” in the 21st century – The Programme of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB): PART ONE|url=http://www.lalkar.org/article/3689/a-critique-of-britains-road-to-socialism-in-the-21st-century-the-programme-of-the-communist-party-of-britain-cpb-part-one|newspaper=Lalkar|quote=}}</ref> The party acknowledges that "there are already several parties in Britain who refer to themselves as communist", but believed that the existing parties (which were all formed slightly before the dissolution of the [[Soviet Union]]) were revisionist.

On the one hand, the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) established itself as continuing the CPGB's original ''British Road to Socialism'' (now confusingly called ''Britain’s Road to Socialism''), which had in the CPGB-ML's view "allowed the [[Eurocommunism|euro-communists]] to take control in the first place. In fact the euro-communists were only a group of revisionists within what was then a revisionist party that took revisionism to its logical conclusion, ie, liquidation." On the other hand, the [[New Communist Party of Britain|New Communist Party]] (NCP)'s "decision never to stand in elections and their total support for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in elections set them only a wafer’s width apart from the revisionists that they had left".<ref name=":0" />

It claims that each party "fawn all over it [the Labour Party] in Lenin’s name", referring to Lenin's [[Library:"Left-wing" communism, an infantile disorder]]. The CPGB-ML hold that Lenin's advice here (for communists to canvass on the basis of supporting the Labour Party, but making clear that an impending Labour government would not truly represent the working class) was based on the material conditions of Britain at that time, and is not applicable to the present day.

==Relations with other parties==

===International standing===
[[File:Cpgb-ml cpc 2021.jpg|thumb|Joti Brar attends CPC and World Political Parties Summit, 2021]]
The CPGB-ML has a history of relationships with political (some communist) parties and the embassies of [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES states]], having met delegations from [[People's Republic of China|China]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2008-08|title=Spirited rally launches Hands off China campaign|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?art=419&secName=proletarian&subName=display|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{News citation|date=2019-10-02|title=The Chinese revolution: ‘One of the greatest moments in human history’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/10/02/news/chinese-revolution-greatest-moments-human-history-mao/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2009-10|title=CPGB-ML greets China’s communists on anniversary|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=544|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Cuba and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/cuba-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Venezuela]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2016-12-14|title=Venezuela - The Struggle continues!|url=https://youtu.be/uIkBMFIJ_ww|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea|North Korea]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Matt Drake|newspaper=Express|title=EXCLUSIVE: Hard-line UK communists openly SUPPORT Kim Jong-un and DENY atrocities|date=2018-02-04|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/914398/North-Korea-UK-communist-party-war-USA-Kim-Jong-un-Stalin-nuclear-weapons-politics|archive-date=2018-02-04|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2018-08-27|title=October 100: DPR Korea pays tribute|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/08/27/tv/october-100-dpr-korea-pays-tribute/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Lao People's Democratic Republic|Laos]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Laos independence and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/laos-independence-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Harpal Brar|date=2008-10-01|title=CPGB-ML meets Vietnamese Party delegation|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/10/01/news/cpgb-ml-meets-vietnamese-party-delegation/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Nepal]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Comrade Ganesh Vikaria from the embassy of Nepal extended his greetings to the meeting}}</ref> [[Republic of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Nicaragua Embassy|date=2021-10-28|title=Nicaraguan ambassador: ‘In our country, democracy is in the hands of the people’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/10/28/news/nicaragua-ambassador-guisell-morales-sandinista-revolution-democracy-people/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Turkey]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Speaking next, a comrade from the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Turkey and Northern Kurdistan (MLKP) said that the October Revolution continues to guide the struggles of the working class and oppressed nations throughout the world.}}</ref> [[Sri Lanka]]<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2017-06-19|title=CPGB-ML Mayday message: in Sri Lanka with the JVP|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfGdDAlCTrU|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> and [[Republic of Korea|South Korea]].<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2018-10-19|title=Red Youth in South Korea - Protest at US Army Base Daegu|url=https://youtu.be/Xn8xJxdEjqA}}</ref> Most of these meetings occurred at CPGB-ML events, with some exceptions. Amongst other international appearances, representatives of the party have attended the World Socialist Forum (Beijing, 2016).<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-06-17|title=The Fall of the USSR - Market Socialism|url=https://youtu.be/x6pCNLJrjpc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> In terms of television appearances, representatives of the party have spoken on [[TeleSUR]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-09-01|title=Vice-Chair of the CPGB-ML speaks to telesurenglish in Bolivar Square|url=https://youtu.be/z8sdmisoHzc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Press TV]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-07|title=Ranjeet on ‘partygate’ scandal as Met Police issue fines over Downing Street lockdown parties|url=https://youtu.be/S580rcXv0FA|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Al-Mayadeen]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-01|title=Ella Rule appearing on Kalima Horra to discuss Ukraine|url=https://youtu.be/sK5BEkA7fh4|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[RT (TV Network)|RT]]<ref name=":4">{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2015-10-25|title=Xi Jinping in London - Keith Bennet talks to George Galloway on RT's Sputnik|url=https://youtu.be/ysMZHdaJCqQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Peter Lavelle|date=2021-12-31|title=CrossTalk: Crystal Ball 2022|url=https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/544590-new-year-2022-crystal-ball/|newspaper=RT}}</ref>, [[China Global Television Network|CGTN]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|newspaper=YouTube|title=Joti Brar interview with CGTN on the Centenary of the CPC|date=2021-07-18|url=https://youtu.be/6TfN3_ypD3Q}}</ref> and the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]].<ref>{{News citation|author=|date=2018-06-12|title=CPGB-ML’s Harpal Brar discusses DPRK on BBC’s primetime The One Show|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/06/12/tv/cpgb-ml-chairman-harpal-brar-discusses-dprk-us-summit-bbc-one-show-korea-trump/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref>
[[File:Cpgb-ml covid and internationalism 2021.jpg|thumb|Covid and International meeting with Chinese, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan delegates in attendance, 2021]]
At its ninth (and most recent) congress, the party held a public meeting regarding "Covid and Internationalism". The panel of speakers was made up of ambassadors from socialist countries: China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-11-11|title=Ninth party congress: We must connect our movement with the masses|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/11/11/news/ninth-party-congress-connect-movement-with-masses/|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=The international section of the congress was supplemented by an inspiring meeting on Saturday night on the topic of ‘Covid and Internationalism’. Guests from four fraternal embassies addressed our audience on this topic: Ambassador Rocio del Valle Maneiro González of Bolivarian Venezuela, Ambassador Guisell Morales-Echaverry of Sandinistan Nicaragua, Counsellor Kong Xiangwen of the People’s Republic of China, and Secretary Aymée Alejandra Diaz Negrín of socialist Cuba.}}</ref> This is despite the fact that, at this point in time, Nicaragua maintained official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China rather than the PRC.<ref>{{News citation|author=Helen Davidson|date=2021-10-10|title=Nicaragua cuts ties with Taiwan and pivots to China|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/nicaragua-cuts-ties-with-taiwan-and-pivots-to-china|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-12-10|title=China, Nicaragua resume diplomatic relations, sign joint communique|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-12-10/China-Nicaragua-resume-diplomatic-relations-15S7NNXTjWg/index.html|newspaper=CGTN}}</ref> At this event, the Chinese ambassador formally presented a congratulatory letter to party for its holding of the congress.

The CPGB-ML has attempted to be included in the annual [[International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties]] (IMCWP). In 2008, the [[Communist Party of Greece]]—acting on behalf of the IMCWP—asked the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) to produce a report on the eligibility of the CPGB-ML for membership of the IMCWP (since 2008, the CPB and the [[New Communist Party of Britain|NCP]] are the only British parties on the members list.)<ref>http://www.solidnet.org/links/communist-and-workers-parties/</ref> The 3-page report denounced the CPGB-ML as a party which "lacks the essential requirements of a Marxist Leninist Communist Party" with "no base in the organized working class". The CPGB-ML subsequently produced a 15-page response to the "lies and slanders of the CPB". The original report seems to be unavailable online, although alongside its response, the CPGB-ML reproduced it [https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf here].<ref>{{News citation|title=CPGB-ML’s reply to the lies and slanders of the CPB|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928131816/https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf}}</ref>

===Workers Party of Britain===
Joti Brar, Vice Chair of the CPGB-ML, is also the Deputy Leader of the [[Workers Party of Britain]] (WPB). Since 2019, much of the CPGB-ML's practical work has been within the WPB. CPGB-ML members are required to also be members of the WPB, making the point that "sitting smugly on the sidelines will not help us to bring this essential understanding [Marxist analysis of [[social democracy]]] to our fellow workers".<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-08-10|title=WPB storms Batley: ‘We intend to replace Labour as party of working class’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/08/10/news/workers-party-britain-storms-batley-replace-labour-party/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> Its leader, [[George Galloway]], has a history with the CPGB-ML, despite never having been a member himself.
[[File:Cpgb-ml george galloway 2009.jpg|thumb|George Galloway attends a Hands off China event, 2009]]
The CPGB-ML's first official views of Galloway were negative, describing him as "a man who had to be thrown out of the imperialist Labour Party kicking and screaming".<ref name=":0" /> However, since 2009, Galloway has participated in several meetings held by the CPGB-ML,<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2009-10-05|title=George Galloway - Hands off China 1/3|url=https://youtu.be/LuWNlFkrihQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> and prominent member of the party Ranjeet Brar (an NHS surgeon) routinely appeared on Galloway's popular ''[[The Mother of All Talk Shows|Mother Of All Talkshows]]'' as the "MOATS medic" throughout the pandemic.<ref>{{News citation|author=George Galloway|date=2022-03-03|title=#CORONAVIRUS EXPERT: Want to know how serious this outbreak really is?|url=https://youtu.be/qSwQh3qD2cQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-02-05|title=Comrade Ranjeet on Moats: NHS marketisation and the covid death toll|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/02/05/tv/comrade-ranjeet-on-moats-nhs-marketisation-and-the-covid-death-toll/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> Other prominent members have appeared on other shows hosted by Galloway.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-08-16|title=Hong Kong: Who is behind the protests?|url=https://youtu.be/aGIVvb6JyzM|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-01-28|title=Nina Kosta vice chair of the Communist Party discusses U.S. aggression towards China|url=https://youtu.be/pwC-T6x9DiY|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

One reason Galloway may have grown closer to the party over time—and the party to him—is that he found he held common ground with the party's line on several issues. Crucially, his anti-[[European Union|EU]] stance coming up to the [[Brexit]] referendum, and the defence of the results of that referendum.<ref>https://workerspartybritain.org/frequently-asked-questions/#faq10</ref> In addition, both Galloway and the CPGB-ML hold positive views of [[Venezuela]], in particular [[Hugo Chavez]]—whom Galloway considers a close friend and had been on the campaign trail with.<ref>{{News citation|author=Channel 4 News|date=2013-03-06|title=George Galloway on his friend Hugo Chavez|url=https://youtu.be/e0rojYMx5c4|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Center for Political Innovation ===
[[Joti Brar]], Vice Chair, has historically associated with and aligned with the [[Center for Political Innovation]], a United States-based organisation, with a cult-of personality surrounding their leader [[Caleb Maupin]].<ref>{{YouTube citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-xeM6RxP6o|channel=Center for Political Innovation|title=Time to join the Center for Political Innovation!|date=2023-04-19}}</ref> Brar, in a talks with Caleb Maupin has gone as far as to say, in answer to a question about what Maupin calls the "transgenderism issue" that she opposes "the ideology that's being pushed on people that says you are what you think", claiming that it is "total idealism".<ref name=":6">{{YouTube citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v7bWFFLzUY|channel=Caleb Maupin|title=Top British Communist Joti Brar talks with Caleb Maupin|date=2019-10-10}}</ref> She here completely ignores the irony of slandering trans existence as idealist when she is in the process of practising non-materialism by omitting and disregarding the vast bodies of research and dialectical material study upholding trans existence (see [[LGBT+]]) and the constructed nature of so-called "biological gender" what Brar accepts as reality without question - a total contradiction of the principle of "No Investigation, No Right to Speak" which Comrade Mao Zedong outlined in his 1930 Essay, [[Library:Oppose Book Worship|Oppose Book Worship]].

She also, supported by Maupin, says of trans women's expression that "we'll be happy to see it disappear into history".<ref name=":6" />

==Structure==
The CPGB-ML is organized under the principles of [[democratic centralism]]. The Party Congress is the supreme authority of the party and meets at least once every four years. Most party resolutions only require a 50% vote to pass, but changes to the party rules or programme require 75%. If the party has 500 full members or less, all members may attend the party congress. If it has between 501 and 5,000 members, the congress has one representative for every ten members. If it has over 5,000 members, there is one representative for every 25 members. The Party Congress elects a Central Committee consisting of a Chair, two Vice-Chairs, and at least 15 other members.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|author=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)|year=2018|title=Party Programme and Rules|chapter=Party rules|page=23–31|pdf=https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/PartyProgrammeAndRules2018.pdf|city=Birmingham|isbn=9781913286026}}</ref>

===Local organizations===
The lowest level of party organization is the study group, which meets weekly. The Central Committee may establish Regional or City Committees for areas with multiple study groups.<ref name=":5" />

==Domestic positions==
The party defends the television network RT because of the role it plays in counter-propaganda against mainstream media, using the specific example of its coverage of the Syrian civil war.<ref>{{News citation|author=Gavin Haynes|newspaper=Vice|title=I Went to a Stalinist Free-Speech Protest to Defend Russia Today from Natwest|date=2016-10-19|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093627/https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-date=2020-11-08|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref>

==Criticism==

===Dismissal of LGBT rights as "LGBT ideology"===
In its 8th Congress of 2018, the CPGB-ML put forward a motion claiming that "obsession with [[identity politics]], including sexual politics, is anti-Marxian",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2018-12-07|title=Identity politics are anti-Marxian and a harmful diversion from the class struggle|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/12/07/news/identity-politics-are-anti-marxian-and-a-harmful-diversion-from-the-class-struggle/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> in opposition to what they call "[[LGBT+|LGBT]] ideology".<ref name=":2">{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-20|title=Why gay rights is not a class issue|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/04/20/news/why-gay-rights-is-not-a-class-issue/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> CPGB-ML justifies this view on the argument that the LGBT struggle is opposed to class politics, as the number of transgender people is "statistically so small as to be insignificant",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-03-23|title=The reactionary nightmare of ‘gender fluidity’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/03/23/news/the-reactionary-nightmare-of-gender-fluidity/|newspaper=The Communists (CPGB-ML)|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> and that transgender activists want to encourage children to be trans,<ref name=":2" /> a common [[reactionary]] stance promoted by chauvinists and [[Fascism|fascists]].

The central committee of the party is openly anti-trans due to its position that gender and biological sex are synonymous and "common sense",<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Citation|author=Various authors|year=2019|title=Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend: Where is LGBT Ideology Taking Us?|chapter=|page=|pdf=https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/TransgenderTrend_read.pdf|city=|publisher=|isbn=978-1-913286-00-2|doi=|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> a position against historical-materialist understanding of gender.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-24|title=The historical-materialist theory of gender|url=https://redfightback.org/misogyny-is-not-caused-by-biological-sex-the-historical-materialist-theory-of-gender/|newspaper=Red Fightback|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> A 70-page pamphlet written by Ranjeet Brar, Edward Renyard, and Joti Brar titled ''Identity politics and the transgender trend: where is LGBT ideology taking us?'' confuses the LGBT struggle with the liberal appropriation of that struggle.<ref name=":3" /> The pamphlet claims that "it is not gender that alienates men from women, it is our social relations", completely oblivious to the fact that gender is a historical [[social construct]], and that the existence of trans people even precedes the use of the term.<ref>{{Citation|author=Diederik F. Janssen|year=2020|title=Transgenderism before gender: nosology from the sixteenth through mid‑twentieth century|chapter=|page=|pdf=|city=|publisher=|isbn=|doi=10.1007/s10508-020-01715-w|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> Overall, this approach is a form of right-opportunism that has repackaged bourgeois political lines as being of a Marxist character, fundamentally distorting the party line away from a materially-based analysis of gender.

==Published works==
Listed in order of appearance on the party's website.<ref>https://shop.thecommunists.org/</ref>

===Party pamphlets===
*''Party Programme and Rules''
*''The Rise and Fall of Project Corbyn''
* ''Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend''
*''Zionism: A Racist, Antisemitic and Reactionary Tool of Imperialism''
*''Claudia Jones, Communist''
*''A Class Analysis of Britain at the Start of the 21st Century''
*''The Drive to War Against Russia and China''
* ''The Soviet Victory Over Fascism''
*''World War One: An Interimperialist War''
*''Revisionism and the Demise of the USSR''
*''Capitalism and Immigration''
*''The 1926 General Strike''
*''NATO’s Predatory War Against Yugoslavia''
*''60th Anniversary of the Victory Over Fascism''

===Harpal Brar books===
''Main article: [[Harpal Brar]]''

*''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''
*''Inquilab Zindabad! India’s Liberation Struggle''
*''Imperialism and the Worst-Ever Crisis of Overproduction''
*''Imperialism and War''
*''Imperialism: The Eve of the Social Revolution of the Proletariat''
*''Chimurenga! The Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe''
*''Imperialism in the Middle East''
*''Marxism and the Emancipation of Women''
*''Bourgeois Nationalism or Proletarian Internationalism?''
* ''Imperialism: decadent, parasitic, moribund capitalism''
* ''Social Democracy – the Enemy Within''
*''Trotskyism or Leninism?''
*''Perestroika: the Complete Collapse of Revisionism''

===Stalin Society pamphlets===
''Main article: [[Stalin Society]]''

*''Stalin Society Magazine | issue 01''
* ''Lies about the Soviet Union''
*''The Soviet Union at War''
*''Life in the Soviet Union''

==References==

<references />
[[Category:Communist parties]]
[[Category:British communist parties]]

Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)

2024-01-10T23:38:13Z

VioletAugust: I've included notes in major party cadres' support for the Center for Political Innovation

{{Infobox political party|name=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)|logo=Emblem of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) PNG.svg.png|founded=3 July, 2004|abbreviation=CPGB-ML|chairperson=[[Ella Rule]]|newspaper=''[[Proletarian (newspaper)|Proletarian]]''|youth_wing=Red Youth|political_orientation=[[Marxism–Leninism]] 
[[Anti-revisionism]] (''de-jure'') 
[[Opportunism|Left-Opportunism]] (''de-facto'')|website=https://thecommunists.org|twitter=CPGBML|youtube=https://www.youtube.com/c/ProletarianCPGBML|Vice Chairperson(s)=}}{{Communist parties}}
The '''Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)''' (CPGB-ML) is a [[Marxism-leninism|Marxist-Leninist]] political party based in the United Kingdom, specifically England, Scotland and Wales. It was founded in July 2004 by former members of the [[Socialist Labour Party (UK)|Socialist Labour Party]] who were expelled for supporting [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES]] states,<ref name=":0">{{News citation|date=2004-08|title=Formation of the CPGB-ML|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=10|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> as well as some members of the original [[Communist Party of Great Britain]].<ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Jack Shapiro lives forever in our hearts!|date=2009-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2009/12/01/news/jack-shapiro-lives-forever-in-our-hearts/}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Remembering departed comrades|date=2008-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/12/01/news/remembering-departed-comrades/}}</ref> Today the party is the largest and most prominent Marxist-Leninist party in the United Kingdom, mostly due to its extensive online and media outreach and the prolific activities of its founder and former chairman, [[Harpal Brar]]; he has founded and run a number of pro-communist organisations, including the [[Indian Workers' Association]] and the [[Stalin Society]].

The party runs two bi-monthly newspapers: ''[[Proletarian]]'', which mainly considers current affairs, and ''[[Lalkar]]'', which consists of more long-form theoretical content. The party also runs the YouTube channel [[Proletarian TV]] from which it uploads its conferences, speeches from its members, pro-communist documentaries it does not own, and other similar material. To support its written content, ''Proletarian'' articles are given voiceovers on ''[[Proletarian Radio]]''. Despite being staunchly anti-revisionist, the party still supports current-day [[People's Republic of China|China]], so much so that Harpal Brar himself co-founded the [[Hands Off China (Campaign)|Hands Off China]] campaign and published a book on China: ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''.<ref>[https://shop.thecommunists.org/product/socialism-with-chinese-characteristics-2020/ ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''] by Harpal Brar</ref>

==History==

===Formation of the party===
[[File:Cpgb-ml may day 2013.jpg|left|thumb|CPGB-ML [[International Workers' Day|May Day]] procession, 2013]]
The CPGB-ML was formed in 2004, believing itself to be the "natural progression of the CPGB of the 1920s and 30s" (for they believe that the decline of that original party began with the publication of ''[[Communist Party of Britain#Britain's Road to Socialism|The British Road to Socialism]]'' in 1951).<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-04|title=A critique of “Britain’s Road to Socialism” in the 21st century – The Programme of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB): PART ONE|url=http://www.lalkar.org/article/3689/a-critique-of-britains-road-to-socialism-in-the-21st-century-the-programme-of-the-communist-party-of-britain-cpb-part-one|newspaper=Lalkar|quote=}}</ref> The party acknowledges that "there are already several parties in Britain who refer to themselves as communist", but believed that the existing parties (which were all formed slightly before the dissolution of the [[Soviet Union]]) were revisionist.

On the one hand, the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) established itself as continuing the CPGB's original ''British Road to Socialism'' (now confusingly called ''Britain’s Road to Socialism''), which had in the CPGB-ML's view "allowed the [[Eurocommunism|euro-communists]] to take control in the first place. In fact the euro-communists were only a group of revisionists within what was then a revisionist party that took revisionism to its logical conclusion, ie, liquidation." On the other hand, the [[New Communist Party of Britain|New Communist Party]] (NCP)'s "decision never to stand in elections and their total support for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in elections set them only a wafer’s width apart from the revisionists that they had left".<ref name=":0" />

It claims that each party "fawn all over it [the Labour Party] in Lenin’s name", referring to Lenin's [[Library:"Left-wing" communism, an infantile disorder]]. The CPGB-ML hold that Lenin's advice here (for communists to canvass on the basis of supporting the Labour Party, but making clear that an impending Labour government would not truly represent the working class) was based on the material conditions of Britain at that time, and is not applicable to the present day.

==Relations with other parties==

===International standing===
[[File:Cpgb-ml cpc 2021.jpg|thumb|Joti Brar attends CPC and World Political Parties Summit, 2021]]
The CPGB-ML has a history of relationships with political (some communist) parties and the embassies of [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES states]], having met delegations from [[People's Republic of China|China]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2008-08|title=Spirited rally launches Hands off China campaign|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?art=419&secName=proletarian&subName=display|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{News citation|date=2019-10-02|title=The Chinese revolution: ‘One of the greatest moments in human history’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/10/02/news/chinese-revolution-greatest-moments-human-history-mao/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2009-10|title=CPGB-ML greets China’s communists on anniversary|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=544|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Cuba and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/cuba-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Venezuela]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2016-12-14|title=Venezuela - The Struggle continues!|url=https://youtu.be/uIkBMFIJ_ww|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea|North Korea]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Matt Drake|newspaper=Express|title=EXCLUSIVE: Hard-line UK communists openly SUPPORT Kim Jong-un and DENY atrocities|date=2018-02-04|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/914398/North-Korea-UK-communist-party-war-USA-Kim-Jong-un-Stalin-nuclear-weapons-politics|archive-date=2018-02-04|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2018-08-27|title=October 100: DPR Korea pays tribute|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/08/27/tv/october-100-dpr-korea-pays-tribute/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Lao People's Democratic Republic|Laos]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Laos independence and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/laos-independence-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Harpal Brar|date=2008-10-01|title=CPGB-ML meets Vietnamese Party delegation|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/10/01/news/cpgb-ml-meets-vietnamese-party-delegation/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Nepal]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Comrade Ganesh Vikaria from the embassy of Nepal extended his greetings to the meeting}}</ref> [[Republic of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Nicaragua Embassy|date=2021-10-28|title=Nicaraguan ambassador: ‘In our country, democracy is in the hands of the people’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/10/28/news/nicaragua-ambassador-guisell-morales-sandinista-revolution-democracy-people/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Turkey]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Speaking next, a comrade from the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Turkey and Northern Kurdistan (MLKP) said that the October Revolution continues to guide the struggles of the working class and oppressed nations throughout the world.}}</ref> [[Sri Lanka]]<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2017-06-19|title=CPGB-ML Mayday message: in Sri Lanka with the JVP|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfGdDAlCTrU|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> and [[Republic of Korea|South Korea]].<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2018-10-19|title=Red Youth in South Korea - Protest at US Army Base Daegu|url=https://youtu.be/Xn8xJxdEjqA}}</ref> Most of these meetings occurred at CPGB-ML events, with some exceptions. Amongst other international appearances, representatives of the party have attended the World Socialist Forum (Beijing, 2016).<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-06-17|title=The Fall of the USSR - Market Socialism|url=https://youtu.be/x6pCNLJrjpc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> In terms of television appearances, representatives of the party have spoken on [[TeleSUR]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-09-01|title=Vice-Chair of the CPGB-ML speaks to telesurenglish in Bolivar Square|url=https://youtu.be/z8sdmisoHzc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Press TV]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-07|title=Ranjeet on ‘partygate’ scandal as Met Police issue fines over Downing Street lockdown parties|url=https://youtu.be/S580rcXv0FA|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Al-Mayadeen]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-01|title=Ella Rule appearing on Kalima Horra to discuss Ukraine|url=https://youtu.be/sK5BEkA7fh4|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[RT (TV Network)|RT]]<ref name=":4">{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2015-10-25|title=Xi Jinping in London - Keith Bennet talks to George Galloway on RT's Sputnik|url=https://youtu.be/ysMZHdaJCqQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Peter Lavelle|date=2021-12-31|title=CrossTalk: Crystal Ball 2022|url=https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/544590-new-year-2022-crystal-ball/|newspaper=RT}}</ref>, [[China Global Television Network|CGTN]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|newspaper=YouTube|title=Joti Brar interview with CGTN on the Centenary of the CPC|date=2021-07-18|url=https://youtu.be/6TfN3_ypD3Q}}</ref> and the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]].<ref>{{News citation|author=|date=2018-06-12|title=CPGB-ML’s Harpal Brar discusses DPRK on BBC’s primetime The One Show|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/06/12/tv/cpgb-ml-chairman-harpal-brar-discusses-dprk-us-summit-bbc-one-show-korea-trump/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref>
[[File:Cpgb-ml covid and internationalism 2021.jpg|thumb|Covid and International meeting with Chinese, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan delegates in attendance, 2021]]
At its ninth (and most recent) congress, the party held a public meeting regarding "Covid and Internationalism". The panel of speakers was made up of ambassadors from socialist countries: China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-11-11|title=Ninth party congress: We must connect our movement with the masses|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/11/11/news/ninth-party-congress-connect-movement-with-masses/|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=The international section of the congress was supplemented by an inspiring meeting on Saturday night on the topic of ‘Covid and Internationalism’. Guests from four fraternal embassies addressed our audience on this topic: Ambassador Rocio del Valle Maneiro González of Bolivarian Venezuela, Ambassador Guisell Morales-Echaverry of Sandinistan Nicaragua, Counsellor Kong Xiangwen of the People’s Republic of China, and Secretary Aymée Alejandra Diaz Negrín of socialist Cuba.}}</ref> This is despite the fact that, at this point in time, Nicaragua maintained official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China rather than the PRC.<ref>{{News citation|author=Helen Davidson|date=2021-10-10|title=Nicaragua cuts ties with Taiwan and pivots to China|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/nicaragua-cuts-ties-with-taiwan-and-pivots-to-china|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-12-10|title=China, Nicaragua resume diplomatic relations, sign joint communique|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-12-10/China-Nicaragua-resume-diplomatic-relations-15S7NNXTjWg/index.html|newspaper=CGTN}}</ref> At this event, the Chinese ambassador formally presented a congratulatory letter to party for its holding of the congress.

The CPGB-ML has attempted to be included in the annual [[International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties]] (IMCWP). In 2008, the [[Communist Party of Greece]]—acting on behalf of the IMCWP—asked the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) to produce a report on the eligibility of the CPGB-ML for membership of the IMCWP (since 2008, the CPB and the [[New Communist Party of Britain|NCP]] are the only British parties on the members list.)<ref>http://www.solidnet.org/links/communist-and-workers-parties/</ref> The 3-page report denounced the CPGB-ML as a party which "lacks the essential requirements of a Marxist Leninist Communist Party" with "no base in the organized working class". The CPGB-ML subsequently produced a 15-page response to the "lies and slanders of the CPB". The original report seems to be unavailable online, although alongside its response, the CPGB-ML reproduced it [https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf here].<ref>{{News citation|title=CPGB-ML’s reply to the lies and slanders of the CPB|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928131816/https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf}}</ref>

===Workers Party of Britain===
Joti Brar, Vice Chair of the CPGB-ML, is also the Deputy Leader of the [[Workers Party of Britain]] (WPB). Since 2019, much of the CPGB-ML's practical work has been within the WPB. CPGB-ML members are required to also be members of the WPB, making the point that "sitting smugly on the sidelines will not help us to bring this essential understanding [Marxist analysis of [[social democracy]]] to our fellow workers".<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-08-10|title=WPB storms Batley: ‘We intend to replace Labour as party of working class’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/08/10/news/workers-party-britain-storms-batley-replace-labour-party/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> Its leader, [[George Galloway]], has a history with the CPGB-ML, despite never having been a member himself.
[[File:Cpgb-ml george galloway 2009.jpg|thumb|George Galloway attends a Hands off China event, 2009]]
The CPGB-ML's first official views of Galloway were negative, describing him as "a man who had to be thrown out of the imperialist Labour Party kicking and screaming".<ref name=":0" /> However, since 2009, Galloway has participated in several meetings held by the CPGB-ML,<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2009-10-05|title=George Galloway - Hands off China 1/3|url=https://youtu.be/LuWNlFkrihQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> and prominent member of the party Ranjeet Brar (an NHS surgeon) routinely appeared on Galloway's popular ''[[The Mother of All Talk Shows|Mother Of All Talkshows]]'' as the "MOATS medic" throughout the pandemic.<ref>{{News citation|author=George Galloway|date=2022-03-03|title=#CORONAVIRUS EXPERT: Want to know how serious this outbreak really is?|url=https://youtu.be/qSwQh3qD2cQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-02-05|title=Comrade Ranjeet on Moats: NHS marketisation and the covid death toll|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/02/05/tv/comrade-ranjeet-on-moats-nhs-marketisation-and-the-covid-death-toll/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> Other prominent members have appeared on other shows hosted by Galloway.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-08-16|title=Hong Kong: Who is behind the protests?|url=https://youtu.be/aGIVvb6JyzM|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-01-28|title=Nina Kosta vice chair of the Communist Party discusses U.S. aggression towards China|url=https://youtu.be/pwC-T6x9DiY|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

One reason Galloway may have grown closer to the party over time—and the party to him—is that he found he held common ground with the party's line on several issues. Crucially, his anti-[[European Union|EU]] stance coming up to the [[Brexit]] referendum, and the defence of the results of that referendum.<ref>https://workerspartybritain.org/frequently-asked-questions/#faq10</ref> In addition, both Galloway and the CPGB-ML hold positive views of [[Venezuela]], in particular [[Hugo Chavez]]—whom Galloway considers a close friend and had been on the campaign trail with.<ref>{{News citation|author=Channel 4 News|date=2013-03-06|title=George Galloway on his friend Hugo Chavez|url=https://youtu.be/e0rojYMx5c4|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

=== Center for Political Innovation ===
[[Joti Brar]], Vice Chair, has historically associated with and aligned with the [[Center for Political Innovation]], a United States-based Gonzaloite<ref>{{YouTube citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-xeM6RxP6o|channel=Center for Political Innovation|title=Time to join the Center for Political Innovation!|date=2023-04-19}}</ref> organisation, with a cult-of personality surrounding their leader [[Caleb Maupin]]. Brar, in a talks with Caleb Maupin has gone as far as to say, in answer to a question about what Maupin calls the "transgenderism issue" that she opposes "the ideology that's being pushed on people that says you are what you think", claiming that it is "total idealism".<ref name=":6">{{YouTube citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v7bWFFLzUY|channel=Caleb Maupin|title=Top British Communist Joti Brar talks with Caleb Maupin|date=2019-10-10}}</ref> She here completely ignores the irony of slandering trans existence as idealist when she is in the process of practising non-materialism by omitting and disregarding the vast bodies of research and dialectical material study upholding trans existence (see [[LGBT+]]) and the constructed nature of so-called "biological gender" what Brar accepts as reality without question - a total contradiction of the principle of "No Investigation, No Right to Speak" which Comrade Mao Zedong outlined in his 1930 Essay, [[Library:Oppose Book Worship|Oppose Book Worship]].

She also, supported by Maupin, says of trans women's expression that "we'll be happy to see it disappear into history".<ref name=":6" />

==Structure==
The CPGB-ML is organized under the principles of [[democratic centralism]]. The Party Congress is the supreme authority of the party and meets at least once every four years. Most party resolutions only require a 50% vote to pass, but changes to the party rules or programme require 75%. If the party has 500 full members or less, all members may attend the party congress. If it has between 501 and 5,000 members, the congress has one representative for every ten members. If it has over 5,000 members, there is one representative for every 25 members. The Party Congress elects a Central Committee consisting of a Chair, two Vice-Chairs, and at least 15 other members.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|author=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)|year=2018|title=Party Programme and Rules|chapter=Party rules|page=23–31|pdf=https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/PartyProgrammeAndRules2018.pdf|city=Birmingham|isbn=9781913286026}}</ref>

===Local organizations===
The lowest level of party organization is the study group, which meets weekly. The Central Committee may establish Regional or City Committees for areas with multiple study groups.<ref name=":5" />

==Domestic positions==
The party defends the television network RT because of the role it plays in counter-propaganda against mainstream media, using the specific example of its coverage of the Syrian civil war.<ref>{{News citation|author=Gavin Haynes|newspaper=Vice|title=I Went to a Stalinist Free-Speech Protest to Defend Russia Today from Natwest|date=2016-10-19|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093627/https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-date=2020-11-08|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref>

==Criticism==

===Dismissal of LGBT rights as "LGBT ideology"===
In its 8th Congress of 2018, the CPGB-ML put forward a motion claiming that "obsession with [[identity politics]], including sexual politics, is anti-Marxian",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2018-12-07|title=Identity politics are anti-Marxian and a harmful diversion from the class struggle|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/12/07/news/identity-politics-are-anti-marxian-and-a-harmful-diversion-from-the-class-struggle/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> in opposition to what they call "[[LGBT+|LGBT]] ideology".<ref name=":2">{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-20|title=Why gay rights is not a class issue|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/04/20/news/why-gay-rights-is-not-a-class-issue/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> CPGB-ML justifies this view on the argument that the LGBT struggle is opposed to class politics, as the number of transgender people is "statistically so small as to be insignificant",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-03-23|title=The reactionary nightmare of ‘gender fluidity’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/03/23/news/the-reactionary-nightmare-of-gender-fluidity/|newspaper=The Communists (CPGB-ML)|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> and that transgender activists want to encourage children to be trans,<ref name=":2" /> a common [[reactionary]] stance promoted by chauvinists and [[Fascism|fascists]].

The central committee of the party is openly anti-trans due to its position that gender and biological sex are synonymous and "common sense",<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Citation|author=Various authors|year=2019|title=Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend: Where is LGBT Ideology Taking Us?|chapter=|page=|pdf=https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/TransgenderTrend_read.pdf|city=|publisher=|isbn=978-1-913286-00-2|doi=|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> a position against historical-materialist understanding of gender.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-24|title=The historical-materialist theory of gender|url=https://redfightback.org/misogyny-is-not-caused-by-biological-sex-the-historical-materialist-theory-of-gender/|newspaper=Red Fightback|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> A 70-page pamphlet written by Ranjeet Brar, Edward Renyard, and Joti Brar titled ''Identity politics and the transgender trend: where is LGBT ideology taking us?'' confuses the LGBT struggle with the liberal appropriation of that struggle.<ref name=":3" /> The pamphlet claims that "it is not gender that alienates men from women, it is our social relations", completely oblivious to the fact that gender is a historical [[social construct]], and that the existence of trans people even precedes the use of the term.<ref>{{Citation|author=Diederik F. Janssen|year=2020|title=Transgenderism before gender: nosology from the sixteenth through mid‑twentieth century|chapter=|page=|pdf=|city=|publisher=|isbn=|doi=10.1007/s10508-020-01715-w|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> Overall, this approach is a form of left-opportunism as they claim this right-wing approach as marxist on the basis of a dogmatic adherence to an incorrect interpretation of [[Dialectical materialism|Dialectical Materialism]].

==Published works==
Listed in order of appearance on the party's website.<ref>https://shop.thecommunists.org/</ref>

===Party pamphlets===
*''Party Programme and Rules''
*''The Rise and Fall of Project Corbyn''
* ''Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend''
*''Zionism: A Racist, Antisemitic and Reactionary Tool of Imperialism''
*''Claudia Jones, Communist''
*''A Class Analysis of Britain at the Start of the 21st Century''
*''The Drive to War Against Russia and China''
* ''The Soviet Victory Over Fascism''
*''World War One: An Interimperialist War''
*''Revisionism and the Demise of the USSR''
*''Capitalism and Immigration''
*''The 1926 General Strike''
*''NATO’s Predatory War Against Yugoslavia''
*''60th Anniversary of the Victory Over Fascism''

===Harpal Brar books===
''Main article: [[Harpal Brar]]''

*''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''
*''Inquilab Zindabad! India’s Liberation Struggle''
*''Imperialism and the Worst-Ever Crisis of Overproduction''
*''Imperialism and War''
*''Imperialism: The Eve of the Social Revolution of the Proletariat''
*''Chimurenga! The Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe''
*''Imperialism in the Middle East''
*''Marxism and the Emancipation of Women''
*''Bourgeois Nationalism or Proletarian Internationalism?''
* ''Imperialism: decadent, parasitic, moribund capitalism''
* ''Social Democracy – the Enemy Within''
*''Trotskyism or Leninism?''
*''Perestroika: the Complete Collapse of Revisionism''

===Stalin Society pamphlets===
''Main article: [[Stalin Society]]''

*''Stalin Society Magazine | issue 01''
* ''Lies about the Soviet Union''
*''The Soviet Union at War''
*''Life in the Soviet Union''

==References==

<references />
[[Category:Communist parties]]
[[Category:British communist parties]]

Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)

2023-12-17T14:40:56Z

VioletAugust: Information on the party's Opportunism

{{Infobox political party|name=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)|logo=Emblem of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist) PNG.svg.png|founded=3 July, 2004|abbreviation=CPGB-ML|chairperson=[[Ella Rule]]|newspaper=''[[Proletarian (newspaper)|Proletarian]]''|youth_wing=Red Youth|political_orientation=[[Marxism–Leninism]] 
[[Anti-revisionism]] (''de-jure'') 
[[Opportunism|Left-Opportunism]] (''de-facto'')|website=https://thecommunists.org|twitter=CPGBML|youtube=https://www.youtube.com/c/ProletarianCPGBML|Vice Chairperson(s)=}}{{Communist parties}}
The '''Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist–Leninist)''' (CPGB-ML) is a [[Marxism-leninism|Marxist-Leninist]] political party based in the United Kingdom, specifically England, Scotland and Wales. It was founded in July 2004 by former members of the [[Socialist Labour Party (UK)|Socialist Labour Party]] who were expelled for supporting [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES]] states,<ref name=":0">{{News citation|date=2004-08|title=Formation of the CPGB-ML|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=10|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> as well as some members of the original [[Communist Party of Great Britain]].<ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Jack Shapiro lives forever in our hearts!|date=2009-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2009/12/01/news/jack-shapiro-lives-forever-in-our-hearts/}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|newspaper=Proletarian|title=Remembering departed comrades|date=2008-12-01|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/12/01/news/remembering-departed-comrades/}}</ref> Today the party is the largest and most prominent Marxist-Leninist party in the United Kingdom, mostly due to its extensive online and media outreach and the prolific activities of its founder and former chairman, [[Harpal Brar]]; he has founded and run a number of pro-communist organisations, including the [[Indian Workers' Association]] and the [[Stalin Society]].

The party runs two bi-monthly newspapers: ''[[Proletarian]]'', which mainly considers current affairs, and ''[[Lalkar]]'', which consists of more long-form theoretical content. The party also runs the YouTube channel [[Proletarian TV]] from which it uploads its conferences, speeches from its members, pro-communist documentaries it does not own, and other similar material. To support its written content, ''Proletarian'' articles are given voiceovers on ''[[Proletarian Radio]]''. Despite being staunchly anti-revisionist, the party still supports current-day [[People's Republic of China|China]], so much so that Harpal Brar himself co-founded the [[Hands Off China (Campaign)|Hands Off China]] campaign and published a book on China: ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''.<ref>[https://shop.thecommunists.org/product/socialism-with-chinese-characteristics-2020/ ''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''] by Harpal Brar</ref>

==History==

===Formation of the party===
[[File:Cpgb-ml may day 2013.jpg|left|thumb|CPGB-ML [[International Workers' Day|May Day]] procession, 2013]]
The CPGB-ML was formed in 2004, believing itself to be the "natural progression of the CPGB of the 1920s and 30s" (for they believe that the decline of that original party began with the publication of ''[[Communist Party of Britain#Britain's Road to Socialism|The British Road to Socialism]]'' in 1951).<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-04|title=A critique of “Britain’s Road to Socialism” in the 21st century – The Programme of the Communist Party of Britain (CPB): PART ONE|url=http://www.lalkar.org/article/3689/a-critique-of-britains-road-to-socialism-in-the-21st-century-the-programme-of-the-communist-party-of-britain-cpb-part-one|newspaper=Lalkar|quote=}}</ref> The party acknowledges that "there are already several parties in Britain who refer to themselves as communist", but believed that the existing parties (which were all formed slightly before the dissolution of the [[Soviet Union]]) were revisionist.

On the one hand, the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) established itself as continuing the CPGB's original ''British Road to Socialism'' (now confusingly called ''Britain’s Road to Socialism''), which had in the CPGB-ML's view "allowed the [[Eurocommunism|euro-communists]] to take control in the first place. In fact the euro-communists were only a group of revisionists within what was then a revisionist party that took revisionism to its logical conclusion, ie, liquidation." On the other hand, the [[New Communist Party of Britain|New Communist Party]] (NCP)'s "decision never to stand in elections and their total support for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in elections set them only a wafer’s width apart from the revisionists that they had left".<ref name=":0" />

It claims that each party "fawn all over it [the Labour Party] in Lenin’s name", referring to Lenin's [[Library:"Left-wing" communism, an infantile disorder]]. The CPGB-ML hold that Lenin's advice here (for communists to canvass on the basis of supporting the Labour Party, but making clear that an impending Labour government would not truly represent the working class) was based on the material conditions of Britain at that time, and is not applicable to the present day.

==Relations with other parties==

===International standing===
[[File:Cpgb-ml cpc 2021.jpg|thumb|Joti Brar attends CPC and World Political Parties Summit, 2021]]
The CPGB-ML has a history of relationships with political (some communist) parties and the embassies of [[Actually Existing Socialism|AES states]], having met delegations from [[People's Republic of China|China]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2008-08|title=Spirited rally launches Hands off China campaign|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?art=419&secName=proletarian&subName=display|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{News citation|date=2019-10-02|title=The Chinese revolution: ‘One of the greatest moments in human history’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/10/02/news/chinese-revolution-greatest-moments-human-history-mao/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2009-10|title=CPGB-ML greets China’s communists on anniversary|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/index.php?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=544|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Cuba and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/cuba-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Venezuela]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2016-12-14|title=Venezuela - The Struggle continues!|url=https://youtu.be/uIkBMFIJ_ww|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea|North Korea]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Matt Drake|newspaper=Express|title=EXCLUSIVE: Hard-line UK communists openly SUPPORT Kim Jong-un and DENY atrocities|date=2018-02-04|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/914398/North-Korea-UK-communist-party-war-USA-Kim-Jong-un-Stalin-nuclear-weapons-politics|archive-date=2018-02-04|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2018-08-27|title=October 100: DPR Korea pays tribute|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/08/27/tv/october-100-dpr-korea-pays-tribute/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Lao People's Democratic Republic|Laos]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-10-05|title=Laos independence and the October Revolution|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/10/05/tv/laos-independence-and-the-october-revolution/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Harpal Brar|date=2008-10-01|title=CPGB-ML meets Vietnamese Party delegation|url=https://thecommunists.org/2008/10/01/news/cpgb-ml-meets-vietnamese-party-delegation/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Nepal]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Comrade Ganesh Vikaria from the embassy of Nepal extended his greetings to the meeting}}</ref> [[Republic of Nicaragua|Nicaragua]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Nicaragua Embassy|date=2021-10-28|title=Nicaraguan ambassador: ‘In our country, democracy is in the hands of the people’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/10/28/news/nicaragua-ambassador-guisell-morales-sandinista-revolution-democracy-people/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[Turkey]],<ref>{{News citation|date=2009-12|title=October Revolution: beacon lighting the way forward for all humanity|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/?secName=proletarian&subName=display&art=571|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=Speaking next, a comrade from the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Turkey and Northern Kurdistan (MLKP) said that the October Revolution continues to guide the struggles of the working class and oppressed nations throughout the world.}}</ref> [[Sri Lanka]]<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2017-06-19|title=CPGB-ML Mayday message: in Sri Lanka with the JVP|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfGdDAlCTrU|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> and [[Republic of Korea|South Korea]].<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2018-10-19|title=Red Youth in South Korea - Protest at US Army Base Daegu|url=https://youtu.be/Xn8xJxdEjqA}}</ref> Most of these meetings occurred at CPGB-ML events, with some exceptions. Amongst other international appearances, representatives of the party have attended the World Socialist Forum (Beijing, 2016).<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-06-17|title=The Fall of the USSR - Market Socialism|url=https://youtu.be/x6pCNLJrjpc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> In terms of television appearances, representatives of the party have spoken on [[TeleSUR]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-09-01|title=Vice-Chair of the CPGB-ML speaks to telesurenglish in Bolivar Square|url=https://youtu.be/z8sdmisoHzc|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Press TV]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-07|title=Ranjeet on ‘partygate’ scandal as Met Police issue fines over Downing Street lockdown parties|url=https://youtu.be/S580rcXv0FA|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref> [[Al-Mayadeen]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-04-01|title=Ella Rule appearing on Kalima Horra to discuss Ukraine|url=https://youtu.be/sK5BEkA7fh4|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> [[RT (TV Network)|RT]]<ref name=":4">{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2015-10-25|title=Xi Jinping in London - Keith Bennet talks to George Galloway on RT's Sputnik|url=https://youtu.be/ysMZHdaJCqQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Peter Lavelle|date=2021-12-31|title=CrossTalk: Crystal Ball 2022|url=https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/544590-new-year-2022-crystal-ball/|newspaper=RT}}</ref>, [[China Global Television Network|CGTN]],<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|newspaper=YouTube|title=Joti Brar interview with CGTN on the Centenary of the CPC|date=2021-07-18|url=https://youtu.be/6TfN3_ypD3Q}}</ref> and the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]].<ref>{{News citation|author=|date=2018-06-12|title=CPGB-ML’s Harpal Brar discusses DPRK on BBC’s primetime The One Show|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/06/12/tv/cpgb-ml-chairman-harpal-brar-discusses-dprk-us-summit-bbc-one-show-korea-trump/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref>
[[File:Cpgb-ml covid and internationalism 2021.jpg|thumb|Covid and International meeting with Chinese, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan delegates in attendance, 2021]]
At its ninth (and most recent) congress, the party held a public meeting regarding "Covid and Internationalism". The panel of speakers was made up of ambassadors from socialist countries: China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-11-11|title=Ninth party congress: We must connect our movement with the masses|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/11/11/news/ninth-party-congress-connect-movement-with-masses/|newspaper=Proletarian|quote=The international section of the congress was supplemented by an inspiring meeting on Saturday night on the topic of ‘Covid and Internationalism’. Guests from four fraternal embassies addressed our audience on this topic: Ambassador Rocio del Valle Maneiro González of Bolivarian Venezuela, Ambassador Guisell Morales-Echaverry of Sandinistan Nicaragua, Counsellor Kong Xiangwen of the People’s Republic of China, and Secretary Aymée Alejandra Diaz Negrín of socialist Cuba.}}</ref> This is despite the fact that, at this point in time, Nicaragua maintained official diplomatic relations with the Republic of China rather than the PRC.<ref>{{News citation|author=Helen Davidson|date=2021-10-10|title=Nicaragua cuts ties with Taiwan and pivots to China|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/10/nicaragua-cuts-ties-with-taiwan-and-pivots-to-china|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-12-10|title=China, Nicaragua resume diplomatic relations, sign joint communique|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-12-10/China-Nicaragua-resume-diplomatic-relations-15S7NNXTjWg/index.html|newspaper=CGTN}}</ref> At this event, the Chinese ambassador formally presented a congratulatory letter to party for its holding of the congress.

The CPGB-ML has attempted to be included in the annual [[International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties]] (IMCWP). In 2008, the [[Communist Party of Greece]]—acting on behalf of the IMCWP—asked the [[Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB) to produce a report on the eligibility of the CPGB-ML for membership of the IMCWP (since 2008, the CPB and the [[New Communist Party of Britain|NCP]] are the only British parties on the members list.)<ref>http://www.solidnet.org/links/communist-and-workers-parties/</ref> The 3-page report denounced the CPGB-ML as a party which "lacks the essential requirements of a Marxist Leninist Communist Party" with "no base in the organized working class". The CPGB-ML subsequently produced a 15-page response to the "lies and slanders of the CPB". The original report seems to be unavailable online, although alongside its response, the CPGB-ML reproduced it [https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf here].<ref>{{News citation|title=CPGB-ML’s reply to the lies and slanders of the CPB|url=https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928131816/https://archive.cpgb-ml.org/download/publications/iccwp_cpb_report_and_reply.pdf}}</ref>

===Workers Party of Britain===
Joti Brar, Vice Chair of the CPGB-ML, is also the Deputy Leader of the [[Workers Party of Britain]] (WPB). Since 2019, much of the CPGB-ML's practical work has been within the WPB. CPGB-ML members are required to also be members of the WPB, making the point that "sitting smugly on the sidelines will not help us to bring this essential understanding [Marxist analysis of [[social democracy]]] to our fellow workers".<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-08-10|title=WPB storms Batley: ‘We intend to replace Labour as party of working class’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/08/10/news/workers-party-britain-storms-batley-replace-labour-party/|newspaper=Proletarian}}</ref> Its leader, [[George Galloway]], has a history with the CPGB-ML, despite never having been a member himself.
[[File:Cpgb-ml george galloway 2009.jpg|thumb|George Galloway attends a Hands off China event, 2009]]
The CPGB-ML's first official views of Galloway were negative, describing him as "a man who had to be thrown out of the imperialist Labour Party kicking and screaming".<ref name=":0" /> However, since 2009, Galloway has participated in several meetings held by the CPGB-ML,<ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2009-10-05|title=George Galloway - Hands off China 1/3|url=https://youtu.be/LuWNlFkrihQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> and prominent member of the party Ranjeet Brar (an NHS surgeon) routinely appeared on Galloway's popular ''[[The Mother of All Talk Shows|Mother Of All Talkshows]]'' as the "MOATS medic" throughout the pandemic.<ref>{{News citation|author=George Galloway|date=2022-03-03|title=#CORONAVIRUS EXPERT: Want to know how serious this outbreak really is?|url=https://youtu.be/qSwQh3qD2cQ|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|date=2021-02-05|title=Comrade Ranjeet on Moats: NHS marketisation and the covid death toll|url=https://thecommunists.org/2021/02/05/tv/comrade-ranjeet-on-moats-nhs-marketisation-and-the-covid-death-toll/|newspaper=Proletarian TV}}</ref> Other prominent members have appeared on other shows hosted by Galloway.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2019-08-16|title=Hong Kong: Who is behind the protests?|url=https://youtu.be/aGIVvb6JyzM|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|author=Proletarian TV|date=2022-01-28|title=Nina Kosta vice chair of the Communist Party discusses U.S. aggression towards China|url=https://youtu.be/pwC-T6x9DiY|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

One reason Galloway may have grown closer to the party over time—and the party to him—is that he found he held common ground with the party's line on several issues. Crucially, his anti-[[European Union|EU]] stance coming up to the [[Brexit]] referendum, and the defence of the results of that referendum.<ref>https://workerspartybritain.org/frequently-asked-questions/#faq10</ref> In addition, both Galloway and the CPGB-ML hold positive views of [[Venezuela]], in particular [[Hugo Chavez]]—whom Galloway considers a close friend and had been on the campaign trail with.<ref>{{News citation|author=Channel 4 News|date=2013-03-06|title=George Galloway on his friend Hugo Chavez|url=https://youtu.be/e0rojYMx5c4|newspaper=YouTube}}</ref>

==Structure==
The CPGB-ML is organized under the principles of [[democratic centralism]]. The Party Congress is the supreme authority of the party and meets at least once every four years. Most party resolutions only require a 50% vote to pass, but changes to the party rules or programme require 75%. If the party has 500 full members or less, all members may attend the party congress. If it has between 501 and 5,000 members, the congress has one representative for every ten members. If it has over 5,000 members, there is one representative for every 25 members. The Party Congress elects a Central Committee consisting of a Chair, two Vice-Chairs, and at least 15 other members.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|author=Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)|year=2018|title=Party Programme and Rules|chapter=Party rules|page=23–31|pdf=https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/PartyProgrammeAndRules2018.pdf|city=Birmingham|isbn=9781913286026}}</ref>

===Local organizations===
The lowest level of party organization is the study group, which meets weekly. The Central Committee may establish Regional or City Committees for areas with multiple study groups.<ref name=":5" />

==Domestic positions==
The party defends the television network RT because of the role it plays in counter-propaganda against mainstream media, using the specific example of its coverage of the Syrian civil war.<ref>{{News citation|author=Gavin Haynes|newspaper=Vice|title=I Went to a Stalinist Free-Speech Protest to Defend Russia Today from Natwest|date=2016-10-19|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093627/https://www.vice.com/en/article/mvnk4v/cpgbml-versus-natwest-russia-today|archive-date=2020-11-08|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref>

==Criticism==

===Dismissal of LGBT rights as "LGBT ideology"===
In its 8th Congress of 2018, the CPGB-ML put forward a motion claiming that "obsession with [[identity politics]], including sexual politics, is anti-Marxian",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2018-12-07|title=Identity politics are anti-Marxian and a harmful diversion from the class struggle|url=https://thecommunists.org/2018/12/07/news/identity-politics-are-anti-marxian-and-a-harmful-diversion-from-the-class-struggle/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> in opposition to what they call "[[LGBT+|LGBT]] ideology".<ref name=":2">{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-20|title=Why gay rights is not a class issue|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/04/20/news/why-gay-rights-is-not-a-class-issue/|newspaper=Proletarian|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> CPGB-ML justifies this view on the argument that the LGBT struggle is opposed to class politics, as the number of transgender people is "statistically so small as to be insignificant",<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-03-23|title=The reactionary nightmare of ‘gender fluidity’|url=https://thecommunists.org/2019/03/23/news/the-reactionary-nightmare-of-gender-fluidity/|newspaper=The Communists (CPGB-ML)|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> and that transgender activists want to encourage children to be trans,<ref name=":2" /> a common [[reactionary]] stance promoted by chauvinists and [[Fascism|fascists]].

The central committee of the party is openly anti-trans due to its position that gender and biological sex are synonymous and "common sense",<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Citation|author=Various authors|year=2019|title=Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend: Where is LGBT Ideology Taking Us?|chapter=|page=|pdf=https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3.cpgb-ml.org/TransgenderTrend_read.pdf|city=|publisher=|isbn=978-1-913286-00-2|doi=|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> a position against historical-materialist understanding of gender.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=|date=2019-04-24|title=The historical-materialist theory of gender|url=https://redfightback.org/misogyny-is-not-caused-by-biological-sex-the-historical-materialist-theory-of-gender/|newspaper=Red Fightback|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-11-08}}</ref> A 70-page pamphlet written by Ranjeet Brar, Edward Renyard, and Joti Brar titled ''Identity politics and the transgender trend: where is LGBT ideology taking us?'' confuses the LGBT struggle with the liberal appropriation of that struggle.<ref name=":3" /> The pamphlet claims that "it is not gender that alienates men from women, it is our social relations", completely oblivious to the fact that gender is a historical [[social construct]], and that the existence of trans people even precedes the use of the term.<ref>{{Citation|author=Diederik F. Janssen|year=2020|title=Transgenderism before gender: nosology from the sixteenth through mid‑twentieth century|chapter=|page=|pdf=|city=|publisher=|isbn=|doi=10.1007/s10508-020-01715-w|lg=|mia=|title-url=|chapter-url=|trans-title=|trans-lang=}}</ref> Overall, this approach is a form of left-opportunism as they claim this right-wing approach as marxist on the basis of a dogmatic adherence to an incorrect interpretation of [[Dialectical materialism|Dialectical Materialism]].

==Published works==
Listed in order of appearance on the party's website.<ref>https://shop.thecommunists.org/</ref>

===Party pamphlets===
*''Party Programme and Rules''
*''The Rise and Fall of Project Corbyn''
* ''Identity Politics and the Transgender Trend''
*''Zionism: A Racist, Antisemitic and Reactionary Tool of Imperialism''
*''Claudia Jones, Communist''
*''A Class Analysis of Britain at the Start of the 21st Century''
*''The Drive to War Against Russia and China''
* ''The Soviet Victory Over Fascism''
*''World War One: An Interimperialist War''
*''Revisionism and the Demise of the USSR''
*''Capitalism and Immigration''
*''The 1926 General Strike''
*''NATO’s Predatory War Against Yugoslavia''
*''60th Anniversary of the Victory Over Fascism''

===Harpal Brar books===
''Main article: [[Harpal Brar]]''

*''Socialism with Chinese Characteristics: Marketisation of the Chinese economy''
*''Inquilab Zindabad! India’s Liberation Struggle''
*''Imperialism and the Worst-Ever Crisis of Overproduction''
*''Imperialism and War''
*''Imperialism: The Eve of the Social Revolution of the Proletariat''
*''Chimurenga! The Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe''
*''Imperialism in the Middle East''
*''Marxism and the Emancipation of Women''
*''Bourgeois Nationalism or Proletarian Internationalism?''
* ''Imperialism: decadent, parasitic, moribund capitalism''
* ''Social Democracy – the Enemy Within''
*''Trotskyism or Leninism?''
*''Perestroika: the Complete Collapse of Revisionism''

===Stalin Society pamphlets===
''Main article: [[Stalin Society]]''

*''Stalin Society Magazine | issue 01''
* ''Lies about the Soviet Union''
*''The Soviet Union at War''
*''Life in the Soviet Union''

==References==

<references />
[[Category:Communist parties]]
[[Category:British communist parties]]

George Galloway

2023-12-02T23:56:40Z

VioletAugust: I included a section detailing and critiquing Galloway's transphobia

{{Infobox politician|birth_date=16 August 1954|birth_place=Dunde, [[Scotland]], [[United Kingdom]]|nationality=Scottish|political_party=[[Workers Party of Britain]]|image=George Galloway.png}}

'''George Galloway''' (born 16 August 1954) is a British politician, broadcaster, and writer serving as the leader of the [[Workers Party of Britain]] since 2019 and as the founder and lead spokesman of [[All for Unity]] since 2020. He currently presents ''[[The Mother of All Talk Shows]]'' on [[Radio Sputnik]], ''[[Sputnik (TV programme)|Sputnik]]'' on [[RT|RT UK]], and ''[[Kalima Horra]]'' on [[Al-Mayadeen]]. Between 1987 and 2010, and then between 2012 and 2015, he was a [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for four constituencies, first for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] and later the [[Respect Party]], the latter of which he joined in 2004 and led from 2013 until its dissolution in 2016.

== Leader of the Workers Party of Britain ==
As leader of the Workers Party of Britain (WPB), George Galloway has so far led one election campaign: the [[2021 Batley and Spen by-election]]. Polling suggested that the Workers Party would gain just 6% of the vote share,<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-06-18|title=Conservatives lead new polling for Batley and Spen By-election|url=https://www.survation.com/conservatives-lead-new-polling-for-batley-and-spen-by-election/|newspaper=Survation}}</ref> which turned out to be a "radical underestimate".<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-07-08|title=A strange amalgam|url=https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1355/a-strange-amalgam/|newspaper=Weekly Worker}}</ref> The Workers Party won almost 22% of the vote, with Labour winning with a majority of just 323 votes.<ref>https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/3309/election/401</ref> Galloway said he would take legal action to challenge the by-election result.<ref>{{News citation|author=Jon Stone|date=2021-06-02|title=Batley and Spen: George Galloway says he will take legal action to challenge by-election defeat|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/george-galloway-batley-and-spen-by-election-result-legal-challenge-b1876823.html|newspaper=Independent}}</ref>

== Labelling as Russia state-affiliated media ==
On the 6th April 2022, Galloway was labelled as "[[Russian Federation|Russia]] state-affiliated media",<ref>{{News citation|author=Alex Hern|newspaper=The Guardian|title=George Galloway threatens to sue Twitter for flagging account as Kremlin-linked|date=2022-04-10|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/10/george-galloway-threatens-sue-twitter-flagging-account-kremlin-linked|retrieved=2022-04-22}}</ref> although he claims he did not present anything on Russian state-affiliated media (RT UK) at the time.<ref>{{News citation|author=George Galloway|newspaper=YouTube|title=The Galloway Show|date=2022-04-06|url=https://youtu.be/5D-s3RA7EpQ?t=137|retrieved=2022-04-22|quote=I saw on Twitter, thought they did not inform me [...] that I had suddenly been stamped as Russian state-affiliated media. I've gone all these years without such a designation, even when I did present shows on RT and Sputnik. Now that I don't, can't, indeed it would be a criminal offence for me to so to do, present anything on Russian state-affiliated media, Twitter - under the new Elon Musk-era - has decided to give me that stamp}}</ref> He claims this label is defamatory and in breach of his GDPR rights, and that his lawyers, KRW Law, have began proceedings against [[Twitter]]. He argues that even when he did present shows on RT, they were produced by [[Associated Press]], and merely aired on RT.<ref>{{News citation|author=George Galloway|newspaper=YouTube|title=The Galloway Show #3|date=2022-04-13|url=https://youtu.be/nqXepV9Pknw?t=1134|retrieved=2022-04-22|quote=[I]t is defamatory, it is a breach of my GDPR rights, and my lawyers, KRW Law, [...] have already begun proceedings. [...] Even when I had a show on RT, it wasn't made by RT, it was made by the American multi-national, Associated Press. They filmed it, they directed it, they produced it, and they edited it. It had nothing whatsoever to do with Russia, which never tried, and would never have been permitted by me if they had tried, to influence my subject matter or what I said in any case. So I was never Russia state-affiliated media, and I sure ain't now.}}</ref>

== Transphobia ==
Galloway has long been noted for his deep-rooted, far-right attitudes towards [[LGBTQ+]] people - in particular, trans people; in one instance of him trotting out bigoted arguments, of a similar character to the behaviours of [[Ben Shapiro]] (condemning "Universities", and their students, in general so as to avoid providing a source), he claims that university students are "questioning a statement of the obvious that 'only women can menstruate'"<ref>[https://twitter.com/georgegalloway/status/1236057261820297217?s=19] Tweet from George Galloway</ref>; this statement is clearly of a radically bigoted nature, and one that harms left-wing movements - helping to exclude non-men who menstruate from the labour movement. Furthermore, he goes on to claim that "If no-one else will stand up to this madness I will.", simultaneously dedicating himself to fighting against trans people and any acceptance of them, condemning being trans as though it were a mental illness (as noted [[Zionist]], Ben Shapiro, also did<ref>{{Web citation|author=Nathan Guttman|newspaper=Forward|title=Ben Shapiro Tells Yeshiva U. Students Being Transgender Is ‘Mental Illness’|date=2016-12-06|url=https://forward.com/news/breaking-news/356275/ben-shapiro-tells-yeshiva-u-students-being-transgender-is-mental-illness/|retrieved=2023-12-02}}</ref>) by calling supportive ideas "madness", and claiming that he is the only voice "speaking out" against basic human rights for transgender people, which in his own country is a very popular thing to do, for example the [[BBC]] platformed far-right, advocator of lynching trans women, [[Lily Cade]] in an article that portrays all trans women as predators<ref>{{Web citation|author=Caroline Lowbridge|newspaper=[[BBC]]|title="The lesbians who feel pressured to have sex and relationships with trans women "(revised), "We're being pressured into sex by some trans women" (original)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-57853385|retrieved=2023-12-02}}</ref> - despite having removed the most scandalous sections concerning Lily Cade, the BBC upheld the rest of the article which contains the same ideology as Cade and causes as much harm<ref>{{Web citation|author=James Factora|newspaper=them|title=BBC Defends Article Claiming Trans Women Are Predators|date=2021-11-04|url=https://www.them.us/story/bbc-trans-women-article-statement|retrieved=2023-12-02|quote="the broadcaster’s claims of “impartiality in defending an article that frames all trans women as potential predators actually shows they think that’s just an acceptable opinion to have.”"}}</ref>.

== Links ==

* [https://twitter.com/georgegalloway Twitter]
* [https://gettr.com/user/georgegalloway GETTR]<ref>@georgegalloway on [[Twitter]]: [https://twitter.com/georgegalloway/status/1513296524779864067?s=20&t=mV7OCevyPeZ0FaFDCoHTwg "Please follow me on @GETTRofficial"]</ref> (Twitter alternative)
* [https://www.georgegalloway.com Website]
*[https://t.me/georgegalloway Telegram]

== References ==
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:British socialists]]
[[Category:British anti-imperialists]]
[[Category:Anti-imperialists]]
[[Category:Journalists]]

Keir Starmer

2023-12-02T23:16:08Z

VioletAugust: I added that Starmer refused to commit to repealing laws which limit Unions' ability to strike.

{{Infobox politician|name=Keir Starmer|image_size=200|birth_date=2 September 1962|birth_place=London, [[England]], [[United Kingdom]]|political_orientation=[[Neoliberalism]]|political_party=[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]|image=Keir Starmer.png}}

'''Keir Rodney Starmer''' (born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and leader of the Labour Party. He participated in the prosecution of [[Julian Assange]] and wants to increase [[police]] presence in [[Proletariat|proletarian]] communities.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Lowkey|newspaper=[[MintPress News]]|title=The Shady Past of Keir Starmer, with Oliver Eagleton|date=2023-03-30|url=https://www.mintpressnews.com/keir-starmers-shady-past-with-oliver-eagleton/284193/|retrieved=2023-03-30}}</ref> He pushed the Labour Party to the right and purged many followers of [[Jeremy Corbyn]].<ref name=":0">{{Web citation|author=[[Lowkey]]|newspaper=[[MintPress News]]|title=Power Obsessions: The Shadowy Path of UK Labour's Keir Starmer, with Matt Kennard|date=2023-08-02|url=https://www.mintpressnews.com/power-obsessions-shadowy-path-uk-labours-keir-starmer-matt-kennard/285414/|retrieved=2023-08-03}}</ref>

== Life before Politics ==
Starmer grew up in a small town called Oxted, in Surrey. His father worked as a toolmaker in a factory and his mother was a nurse for the [[NHS]]. After going to a local grammar school, he went to Leeds University to study law. He became a qualified lawyer in 1987 and began work as a barrister.<ref name=":1">{{Web citation|newspaper=Labour Party UK|title=Keir Starmer|date=2023|url=https://labour.org.uk/people/keir-starmer/|retrieved=2023-12-02}}</ref>

In 2008, Starmer became Director of Public Prosecutions, putting him at the head of the [[Crown Prosecution Service]], which prosecuted 800,000 people every year. He also secretly served on the [[Trilateral Commission]], which is connected to the [[United States Intelligence Community|Statesian secret police]].<ref name=":0" />

He received a knighthood from [[Elizabeth Windsor|Queen Elizabeth II]] in 2014 for his career as a lawyer.<ref name=":1" />

== Political Career ==
He was elected to Parliament in the 2015 general election as the MP for Hoborn and St Pancras.

He served as Shadow Immigration Minister (2015-2016) under [[Ed Miliband]], and later was reappointed by [[Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn]] as Shadow Secretary of State for [[Brexit]] (2016-2020)'

In April 2020, Starmer was elected as Leader of the Labour Party.<ref name=":1" />

== Policies ==
In 2023 Labour announced that the pledge of free school meals for all was going to be scrapped. Labour plans to increase the number of [[Ofsted]] inspections of school to yearly. Labour has pledged to continue the two-child cap on child benefits, the removal of which would have lifted 250,000 children out of poverty at the cost of £1.3 billion, this action has earned the Labour leader the nickname of “Sir Kid Starver”.<ref>{{Web citation|author=Robert Poole|newspaper=Morning Star|title=Enter ‘Sir Kid Starver’|date=2023-07-19|url=https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/f/enter-sir-kid-starver}}</ref>

Despite, the Labour Party's insistence it is left-wing, Starmer has refused to even commit to the idea of repealing Anti-Strike Laws.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|title=Labour refuses to promise repeal of planned Tory anti-strike laws|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/dec/08/labour-refusing-to-promise-repeal-of-tory-anti-strike-laws|retrieved=2023-12-02}}</ref>

== References ==
[[Category:Imperialists]]
[[Category:Politicians]]

Macao Special Administrative Region

2023-12-02T22:57:49Z

VioletAugust: I added a history section and within included a few lines on the singing of "Song of the Seven Sons" to celebrate Macao's reincorporation into the PRC

{{Infobox settlement|conventional_long_name=Macao Special Administrative Region|native_name=中華人民共和國澳門特別行政區 中华人民共和国澳门特别行政区 zhōng huá rén mín gòng hé guó ào mén tè bié xíng zhèng qū|settlement_type=Special Administrative Region|area_km2=115.3|population_estimate=682,300|population_estimate_year=2021|image_flag=File:Flag of Macau.png|image_coat=[[File:Emblem of Macau.png]]}}

'''Macao''' or '''Macau''', officially the '''Macao Special Administrative Region''', is one of [[People's Republic of China|China]]’s two special administrative regions along with [[Hong Kong Special Administrative Region|Hong Kong]]. It was colonized by the [[Portuguese Republic|Portuguese]] until 1999, when China regained sovereignty of the land.<ref>{{News citation|author=Gao Yiming, Meng Tao|newspaper=[[CGTN]]|title=Macao 20 years on: Educational development|date=2019-12-17|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-12-17/Macao-20-years-on-Educational-development-MuMlRrAHTi/index.html|retrieved=2022-07-16}}</ref>

Macao reentered China on December 20, 1999.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=Xinhua|title=Profile: Jiang Zemin's great, glorious life|date=2022-12-03|url=https://english.news.cn/20221203/b421d53c0baa446e96c76f01159a1d3d/c.html|retrieved=2023-07-22}}</ref>

== Economy ==
Macau has a developed economy and high social welfare. Macau has a well-developed gaming industry, but due to the principle of [[One country two systems|one country, two systems]], the [[Communist Party of China]] is currently unable to outlaw gaming.

== Education ==
Macao was the first region of China to provide 15 years of free education. In 2009, Macao spent $261 million on education, which increased by 166% by 2019. The number of university students increased from 7,527 in 1999 to 34,279 in 2019.<ref>{{News citation|author=Liane Ferreira|newspaper=[[CGTN]]|title=Macao SAR: 20 years focused on the people|date=2019-12-18|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-12-18/Macao-SAR-20-years-focused-on-the-people-MolDn5z01G/index.html|retrieved=2022-07-16}}</ref>

== History ==
In the December of 1999, a choir of 300 children sang the verse of "Song of the Seven Sons" that relates to Macao at the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macao; and yet again in 2019, to mark 20 years of a Liberated Macao, a group of young people gathered to sing again at the same site.<ref>{{Web citation|newspaper=[[CGTN]]|title=Youths celebrate Macao's return to China with "Song of the Seven Sons"|date=2019-12-18|url=https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-12-18/Youths-celebrate-Macao-s-return-to-China-with-Song-of-the-Seven-Sons--MwRnBQSv2o/index.html|retrieved=2023-12-02|quote=}}</ref>

== References ==
[[Category:People's Republic of China]]