branch_activists_handbook

CONTENTS page

INTRODUCTION 2

1 THE ROLE OF THE BRANCH 4The political basis 4The importance of the Branch 4Talking politics 5Uniting, supporting and valuing all comrades 6Winning more women and black Communists 6Turning words into deeds 7

2 ORGANISING THE BRANCH 8Branch meetings 8Annual General Meeting 9Collective leadership 9Workplace and industrial branches 11Finance and fund-raising 12Working with the District or Nation Committee 14Relations with the Party centrally 14Social life 15

3 BRANCH ACTIVITY 16Broad movement work 16Independent Party work 16Planning for success 17Types of campaigning activity 17Public meetings 20Public speaking 20Using the media 21Running election campaigns 22The Morning Star 25Political education 26

4 BUILDING THE BRANCH 29Membership and recruitment 29Following up membership enquiries 30Recarding 31Cadre development 31Young Communist League 32

APPENDICES 34A A model branch income and expenditure account 34B Electoral law on donations to political parties 34C Preparing for a public meeting 35D Conducting a public meeting 36E A model press release 37

Communist party branch activists handbook | 1

2 | Communist party branch activists handbook

INTRODUCTION

The Communist Party of Britain was re-established in 1988 on the basis of the rules,principles and programme of the former Communist Party of Great Britain prior toits capture by revisionism. At subsequent national congresses, we have outlined the

key tasks for the Party, updated and renamed our programme Britain’s Road to Socialism totake account of changing conditions, and produced a new edition of Inner Party Democracy.

The way in which our branches should function derives directly from the politicalobjectives as set out in Rule 2 of the Party’s aims and constitution:

The aim of the Communist Party is to achieve a socialist Britain in which the means ofproduction, distribution and exchange will be socially owned and utilised in a plannedway for the benefit of all.

This necessitates a revolutionary transformation of society, ending the existingcapitalist system of exploitation and replacing it with a socialist society in which eachwill contribute according to ability and receive according to work done.

Socialist society creates the conditions for the advance to a fully communist form ofsociety in which each will receive according to need.

Reports, rules and resolutions do not – however – make a party. Our effectivenessdepends entirely on our members and their ability to respond to political events and to turnwords on paper into action. The re-establishment of Communist public activity andindustrial work, and the unparalleled support given to the Morning Star, are a testament tothe dedication and commitment of our members.

In particular, since re-establishment we have rebuilt some of our influence in the tradeunion movement, played a leading role in the peace and pensioners movements, sustainedthe Communist Review and Communist News, refounded the Communist University ofBritain, initiated an annual industrial cadre school and supported the re-establishment ofthe Young Communist League. Communists helped launch the Charter for Women andoccupy key positions in a range of internatonal solidarity campaigns. Our Party participatesvigorously in the international Communist movement, including through the Co-ordinating Committee of Communist Parties in Britain which brings together the CPB anddomiciled parties from overseas.

Leasing magnificent new premises and colour printing facilities at Ruskin House,Croydon, symbolises this new lease of life for Britain’s Communist Party.

Nonetheless, not even Communists can achieve miracles. We still face significantproblems: the small size of our Party; limited finances; the lack of premises in many areas;unrepresentative age, gender and race profiles; a limited industrial base; and, not least, apolitical climate which makes even the smallest victory almost a superhuman task. All ofthese factors have contributed to the slow rate of growth since re-establishment. Breakingout of this situation will not be easy.

The function of this Branch Activists Handbook is not to overload dedicated comrades

who are already shouldering an enormous burden of Party work. Rather it is intended tohelp branches and their members to structure and co-ordinate their activity, so that they canbecome even more effective.

It is hoped that all branches – no matter what their size – will find in this handbook aresource which will enable them to improve their organisation and activity. However, it isnot intended to be prescriptive, and indeed many comrades may have better ideas. ThePolitical Committee would therefore welcome any proposals for inclusion in futureeditions.

Political CommitteeJune 2007



1.THE ROLE OF THE BRANCH

The political basisBritain’s Road to Socialism makes clear the necessity for an effective Communist Party toprovide leadership, not through any subjective or arbitrary notions of elitism, but because ofthe Party’s aims and principles of organisation:

■ The Communist Party is based upon the class and internationalist principles ofMarxism-Leninism which enables it to analyse the nature of capitalist society andto develop a strategy that will lead to socialism.

■ It is organised for socialist revolution, and therefore constantly seeks tostrengthen its roots in the working class because of the latter’s leading role inrevolutionary social change. On that basis, it seeks to weld together allprogressive movements at local and national level, initiating and assisting thepeople’s campaigns. In order to develop political consciousness, it organises itselfboth in workplaces and localities.

■ The Communist Party is a democratic party, drawing on the initiative andcreativity of its membership in planning and carrying through its activity and policy, and in electing a leadership which is answerable to that membership.To this end the Party develops and maintains close relationships within its ownranks including between men and women, black and white, young and old.

■ The Party is centralised, so it can intervene in the class struggle as a disciplined andunited force,once policy is decided.This combination of democracy with centralismto produce ‘democratic centralism’ – the highest organisational principle of theParty – helps make the Party capable of acting in a uniquely effective way.

■ The Communist Party seeks close relations with the communist movement inother countries, based on the independence, equality and mutual respect of eachcommunist party in a world movement which is leading the transition to socialismon a world scale. This unity, together with international solidarity with othermovements fighting for peace,progress and national liberation,is vital not only in theimmediate struggles,but for the achievement and building of socialism in Britain.

These essential characteristics of the Communist Party have enabled it to be an effectivevanguard party of struggle over the years, involved in a central way in the main battles of theworking class and the labour and progressive movement, generating class and socialistconsciousness, and showing the need to win state power and advance to socialism.

Branch organisation and activity have to be considered in this political and ideological context.

The importance of the BranchThe Branch is the basic unit and branch life is the lifeblood of our Communist Party. The Branch is the collective for political organisation, education, discussion and action.

All branches should aim to meet regularly and with the maximum possible attendance ofmembers. Branch officers should maintain contact with members unable to attend branchmeetings regularly.

The Branch is also the key to reaching all sections of our communities on immediate andpolitical issues. Our best branches relate the strategy and policies of the Party to theactual situation in their locality or workplace, playing an active part in people’s struggles.They work publicly, contest elections and develop close relations with organisations ofthe labour movement and other forces working for progressive demands.

Branch discussion is a vital part of the preparation for branch activity – practicewithout theory is blind but, obversely, theory without practice is sterile. Withoutactivity to bring the Party’s name and policies to the notice of people in localcommunities and workplaces, the Communist Party will cease to grow and develop.Therefore, as well as working in broad organisations and campaigns, branches shouldset themselves the target of conducting public work in the name of the CommunistParty – leafleting, petitioning, flyposting, selling Party publications, contesting localelections, sending statements and letters to the local media, displaying Party bannersand placards on demonstrations etc. – according to the resources of the Branch .

Talking politicsThere used to be a rule in the Keir Hardie Labour Club in Merthyr Tydfil to preventarguments breaking out - ‘No talking politics’. Across Britain, many trade union branchesand local Labour Party organisations meet infrequently and, even when they do meet, theyrarely discuss important political issues. Today, this is even true in some ‘far left’organisations, where political and theoretical discussion has been displaced by diktats fromabove on political and organisational questions.

This is not the Communist approach. All branches should normally begin branchmeetings with political discussion to inform and educate members on the issues ofthe day and, in so doing, to relate them to the programme of the Party, Britain’s Roadto Socialism.

Given the dearth of political discussion in the labour movement, we need to see our rolemuch more widely. Our branches should be political forums in which members and non-members can learn. They should:

■ be open to close allies in the wider labour and progressive movements■ maintain a contact list and invite others on the left to branch meetings■ invite speakers from outside as well as inside the Party■ engage in Marxist-Leninist political educationAt a normal branch meeting, the main political discussion or report should be an early

item on the agenda, not left until the end where there is the danger it will be squeezed fortime later on. Alternatively, especially if non-members have been invited, the Branchcould complete the organisational items within, say, the first half hour, so that the


political discussion can be advertised for the later time of which allies and friends havebeen notified.

Uniting, supporting and valuing all comrades Communists are renowned for having strong opinions. The skills to defend those opinionsare often developed by inner-Party discussion, and it is not unknown for those discussions toget quite heated! However, it is impermissible for differences of opinion betweenCommunists to be transformed into personal animosity. We can all learn from each other’sviews, even if we don’t agree with them. Argument without conceding the possibility that youcould be wrong – or at least might still have something to learn – becomes dogmatism.

Comrades bring into the Branch not only their own views and ideas for activity but theirexperiences of struggle – current and in the past. This is a rich heritage which the Branchneeds to cherish. However, it is all too easy for ‘routinism’ to develop and for the enthusiasmof new and younger members to be crushed. It is important therefore that the Branch:

■ provides a supportive and comradely atmosphere■ seeks to learn from experience and synthesise it■ encourages participation in policy formation■ encourages and supports initiatives from young and new members, allowing

comrades to learn by trial and error if necessary.

Winning more women and black Communists Women and black people comprise the most exploited and oppressed sections of societyin Britain,yet they are under-represented in the ranks of the Communist Party.Because wedo not reflect today’s working class in all its multi-ethnic,multicultural and gender diversitywe cannot fully represent it.This is also true of large sections of the labour and progressivemovements and wherever Communists are involved in organising meetings on any issue,whether Party or non-Party, they should try to ensure that the platform of speakersbroadly represents the composition of the population in terms of gender and race.

Every level of the Party has to take steps to rectify our own weaknesses, but thisrequires conscious, planned and concrete action including at branch level.

In Party meetings, the tendency over-represented among male comrades to speakoften and at length needs to be curbed by a combination of self-restraint and firmchairing.The atmosphere should be created in which women, young and new membersfeel that their contributions to discusssion are welcome. Rules, structures and ways ofworking – which sometimes have to change – should be fully explained so that newrecruits, especially women, do not feel excluded.

Political, technical and organisational tasks should not be distributed on the basis ofgender stereotypes.Women comrades may be perfectly capable of organising,addressingand chairing meetings, making placards or dealing with the local media, while malecomrades can be equally adept at decorating a hall, providing refreshments or lookingafter children. Wherever possible, concrete proposals should be made to encouragewomen members to participate in activity and stand for elections in the Party.

Above all the Party must ensure that it vigorously pursues policies which reflect theinterests of women, especially women workers. Such policies must address the linkbetween the oppression of women and their super-exploitation in the workforce.The


Party must support the continued advance of women as they strive to make their voicesheard in the labour movement, and we must be prominent in challenging sexist ideas andpractices whenever and wherever these manifest themselves. Given that women nowconstitute half the workforce, our Party must be at the forefront in generating anunderstanding that social advance will not be possible without the full participation andmobilisation of women workers.This inclusive class understanding must permeate all ourwork and set an example to all on the left.

Hence the necessity for Party branches and local Morning Star groups to havediscussions based on the Charter for Women and our party pamphlet Women & Class.These could include the need for a broad-based initiative to promote the Charter forWomen locally among labour movement and community organisations and activists.

Party branches must also discuss, learn about and take action on the issues which mostdirectly and disproportionately affect black,Asian and ethnic minority communities – racism,immigration, asylum,policing, social and economic inequality, cultural rights and democraticfreedoms.A class and anti-imperialist perspective is essential to our approach to such issues.Branches also have to find ways of making or strengthening links with these communitiesand their organsations.This can include invitations to have a bilateral discussion on issues oflocal concern (such as racist attacks on people or premises, a local asylum case or cuts inlanguage teaching provisions) or to address a party or Morning Star meeting.

Anti-racist and anti-fascist work should be an integral part of our activity. Branchesshould give active support to broad and non-sectarian initiatives in their area,with Partymembers using all means and structures available to them to combat racist ideas in theircommunities and workplaces.

Turning words into deedsDiscussion and political education are essential if we are to be able to understand societyand how it works. But discussion will be of limited value unless it leads to some form ofactivity by the Party. It is therefore important that branches:

■ set themselves campaigning tasks■ have regular Executive and District/Nation Committee reports, and translate

them into action■ develop their own initiatives, without waiting for a national lead.

Solly Kaye,elected Communist local councillor in the 1960s,used to tell what happenedto him when he became Stepney Party secretary just after the Second World War. Hewas escorted round the area by the then London district secretary, who said to him,‘Look, Solly, you’re the leader of all these people!’

This was a time when Phil Piratin was the constituency’s Communist MP. But thestory illustrates two key points – first, that the leading role of the Party has to beearned; and secondly, that to earn that leadership, Communists have to see themselvesas being at one with the people they seek to represent, identifying with their concerns.In this sense we all need to become ‘leaders’ (or ‘tribunes of the peole’ as Lenin put it).But we should guard against thinking that we know all the answers. Often, we do noteven know all the questions.


2.ORGANISING THE BRANCH

Branch meetings The first essential for a branch is a regular pattern of meetings. Apart from the impossibilityof effective collective work if this does not happen, it also makes it possible for comrades tomake a regular commitment to attend.

The aim should be to hold meetings at least monthly, preferably according to a formula(eg. the second Tuesday in every month) which enables comrades to remember and plan fortheir attendance. Many branch activists are already heavily committed and long intervalsbetween branch meetings can lead to comrades forgetting and attendances therefore falling.This makes it important for the Branch secretary or some other appointed comrade toensure that all members are given adequate notice of the date, time and venue of eachmeeting, especially when it falls outside an established pattern.

Most smaller branches will be restricted, through limited finance, to relying on thehospitality of one of their comrades for a meeting room. As the Branch grows, the search for arented venue should receive attention, while making sure that no comrades are excluded frompossible attendance because of transport, financial, childcare or personal safety considerations.

Where members are scattered over a wide area or have health, transport or childcaredifficulties which prohibit travel, the Branch may consider holding occasional meetings inthe home of the comrade concerned.

Meetings need to have a formalised agenda, along the lines of the following:

1 Attendance, card check and apologies for absence to ensure that attendance andmembership responsibilities are taken seriously; the chair should make a point ofwelcoming any new members and visitors.

2 Minutes of last meeting and matters arising to follow up or review decisions andthe carrying out of individual and collective responsibilities (this item may alsoinclude Branch Committee or officers’ reports).

3 Political report is an essential item which should not be pushed to the bottom of the agenda.

4 District/Nation Committee and Executive Committee reports ensure two-way communication and unity in action.

5 Planned activities because ‘theory without practice is sterile’.6 Morning Star is an essential item for all agendas and should include a Fighting

Fund collection.7 Date of next meeting – an important reminder.8 Any other business should be a brief item, restricted to matters of which the chair

has received prior notice.

Other agenda items such as finance, correspondence, recruitment, political education,other reports etc. can be slotted in as and when needed – but guard against agendasbecoming too long.

It is vital that branch meetings are made as interesting, informative and relevant aspossible. Too much time spent on minutes, formal reports etc. can drive away new and evenexperienced members. The comrade giving the main political report in order to stimulate


discussion should have prepared adequately beforehand. Rotate this importantresponsibility around branch members, without putting new or under-confident membersunder pressure to lead a discussion before they are ready. Guest speakers, non-Party as wellas Party members, can add greatly to the variety and value of meetings. Where the facilitiesexist in a meeting room or a comrade’s house, consider using a short film (no more than 40minutes or so) – a DVD or a video recording of a television programme on somecontemporary or historical question – to stimulate political discussion.

There should be a fixed time at which branch meetings finish, which should only beextended in exceptional circumstances and by consensus of those present. Two hours isusually sufficient to complete a normal agenda.

Annual General Meeting Under Party rules, every Branch must hold an Annual General Meeting which shoulddiscuss a report of Branch work in the previous year, receive a financial statement, discussthe lines of Branch activity for the coming year and elect a Branch Committee.

An AGM is essential if the Branch is to analyse its work and draw necessary conclusionsfor the way forward. Properly organised, they can give comrades encouragement throughthe successes achieved, however small. It is good practice to give members a couple of weeksnotice in writing of the meeting. Generally, the AGM should be held in January or February(by which time new membership cards and a full set of bank statements for the precedingyear should also be available). A typical agenda might be:

1 Welcome and opening (given by the Branch chair).2 Minutes of the previous AGM – for approval only.3 Report of work of Branch and Branch Committee (Branch secretary) – factual

information about the previous year’s meetings (average attendance, topicsdiscussed), branch officers elected, membership and activities, followed by a briefdiscussion and assessement to identify strengths, weaknesses and lessons.

4 Political report – to situate the work of the Branch in the context of politicaldevelopments over the past year and current trends. This can be given by a Districtor Nation Committee representative or by the Branch secretary. In either case, itshould include some outline of the work being done by the Party at both all-Britain and District/Nation levels.

5 Financial report (Branch treasurer) – keeping and approving branch accounts isnow a legal requirement under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act2000 (PPERA 2000). As a point of good practice, the accounts should be auditedby a comrade who is not a member of the retiring Branch Committee.

6 Proposals for the coming year (Branch secretary)7 Election of new Branch Committee8 Any urgent other business

Collective leadershipThe Branch Committee exists to help organise and guide the Branch, while remainingaccountable and subordinate to branch meetings. A functioning Branch Committee canplay a major role in helping to ensure that a branch functions efficiently and effectively. By


dealing with administrative details and making the necessary preparations, it can enablebranch meetings to concentrate on bigger political questions as well as any majororganisational matters.

At its first meeting after the Branch AGM, the Branch Committee should elect thenecessary minimum number of officers – chair, secretary and treasurer (Rule 14a).

Electing and sustaining a Branch Committee may not be practical, especially in brancheswhere membership is small or widely dispersed. In this case, branch officers will have to beelected at the AGM itself, although a better option would be to elect a Branch Committeeeven if it can only meet, for example, for just half an hour immediately before each branchmeeting.

Usually, the Branch secretary is the political leader, but in public this role can also beplayed by the Chair. The secretary, however, has the overall responsibility of ensuring thatmembers know of forthcoming meetings, that an agenda is drawn up (usually inconsultation with the chair) and that minutes are taken and decisions implemented. Thetreasurer is responsible for keeping the accounts and making payments of dues and quota tothe District or Nation Committee or – where there isn’t one – to Party Centre directly.

Other officers which the Branch Committee may elect depend upon its size. They couldinclude:

Political education organiser – to arrange Branch classes and liaise with the Districtor Nation education organiser.Membership organiser – to ensure regular political contact with, and duescollection from, all members. Rule 14(d) specifies that the Branch Committee shouldappoint ‘membership stewards’ for this, but even where this is done there needs to be acomrade who exercises overall responsibility.Literature organiser – to arrange sales of Communist Review and pamphlets, andpossibly distribution of Communist News.Morning Star organiser – to arrange daily/weekend/demonstration sales, and assistfund-raising for the paper.Women’s organiser – see ‘Winning more women Communists’ above.Press/media officer – not only to prepare media statements and draft letters to thepress, but to collect cuttings from the local press on important issues of concern. This isan important responsibility as it can provide the basis for local campaigning initiativesby the Branch.Minutes secretary – to ensure that accurate records of Branch business aremaintained where this function is not given to the Branch secretary.

While the Branch Committee has to elect officers in order for specific work to be carriedout, the principle of collective leadership requires the whole Branch Committee to shareresponsibility for seeing that this work is done.

Branch Committee meetings need to focus on:■ calling regular meetings of which every member is informed■ planning Branch activity and development, including sales of the Morning Star

and Party literature■ organising political education■ building membership■ raising and managing Branch funds


■ ensuring efficient collection of dues and political contact with every member■ enhancing opportunities for all comrades to participate in the work of the Branch

and to develop their political understanding, especially women and young members■ conducting a programme of cadre development.

Workplace and industrial branchesCommunist Party work and influence in the trade union movement is one of our party’sgreat strengths. It reflects the Marxist principle that the working class will and must bethe leading force for socialist revolution.Workers organising to challenge injustice andexploitation in the workplace is not only a vital starting point for the development oftrade union class consciousness. It also provides the basis – with the involvement ofCommunists – for the growth of revolutionary political consciousness.

Therefore workplace-based Party branches are ideally placed to take up trade unionissues and give a lead to the workforce. But the best such branches aim to do muchmore. They conduct sales of the Morning Star and party publications, hold politicaldiscussion and education meetings and work with local party branches including in theelectoral arena. Members of workplace branches are also encouraged to participate intheir local residential branch where possible, albeit without an additional vote ininternal party affairs.

But establishing and sustaining workplace-based Party branches has been much moredifficult in recent decades. The decline of traditional manufacturing, mining andshipbuilding enterprises has weakened trade unionism and broken up large sections ofCommunist Party organisation in industry.

Yet the class struggle continues at its sharpest point, in the workplace.Trade unionismhas gained ground in the public sector and among women workers in particular.Thesedevelopments provide new opportunities for Communist activity and organisationwhich adapt to the new realities.A priority for union and Communist industrial activity isto extend union membership among young,black,migrant,casual and part-time workers.

Since re-establishing the Party in 1988,we have developed new forms of organisationto meet changing conditions. Where three or more Party members share the sameworkplace or employer locally, but where forming a workplace branch is not feasible(perhaps because one of the comrades plays an irreplaceable role in a local residentialbranch), they should organise themselves as a Party collective.This would mean regularmeetings to plan trade union and political work in the workplace,but without any of theformal apparatus of a Party branch.Collectives should report on their activites to localresidential branches or the District/Nation Committee as appropriate.

We have also introduced a third category of Branch besides the residential andworkplace ones, namely an ‘industrial’ branch. This aims to organise all comradesworking within a particular industry in a given district or nation. The number ofbranches in this category is still small, but it has allowed the development of collectiveorganised communist work in the industries concerned.Thus the London TransportBranch has co-ordinated trade union work, held Morning Star public meetings, runpolitical education classes and promoted international solidarity initiatives.

But there is no substitute for a much larger number of workplace Party branches.Thisshould be the aim of our local and industrial branches together with all of our Districtand Nation Committees.


Finance and fund-raisingFor the Party, money is political. Without it, we cannot run our organisation and fight thepolitical class struggle.

Dues and quota It is a responsibility of the Branch and its officers to ensure that everyparty member pays their dues through one method or another. In addition, the ExecutiveCommittee sets annual quotas for additional funds from each English district, Scotland andWales based on the size and income status of their membership. Branches not attached to anorganised district with a District Committee are also set an annual quota. This money is alsoan integral part of the Party’s central budget, essential to meet the Party’s expenditure plans.

These quota targets are collective ones for the district, nation and unattached branch, tobe met through fund-raising activities including a voluntary levy from members (usually aguaranteed amount each month decided by the member – or ‘guarantor’– in the light oftheir financial circumstances). Where comrades pay quota through a direct debit to PartyCentre, this is credited to their branch, district or nation’s contribution.

More than three-quarters of our party’s income comes from dues and quota, with morethan two-thirds of this in turn coming through direct debit payments (ie. directly frommembers’ bank accounts to the Party’s central account each month). This system has provedinvaluable in securing the regular income needed at Party Centre for staff wages, rent andother essential expenditure each month. That is why branches should encourage newmembers in particular to complete the direct debit section of the membership registrationform.

In addition, the Party also relies upon an annual appeal (and occasional election or specialappeals) to finance between 12 and 20 per cent of its central budget.

As well as meeting their quota for Party Centre, our District, Scottish and WelshCommittees also require finance for their own activities and administration. On top of that,of course, the Branch needs funds of its own to pay for publicity materials, a venue formeetings and other essential administrative expenses.

As party membership continues to grow, and with it the Party’s financial base, it is theintention to restore the former arrangement whereby a portion of membership dues isreturned to branches, districts and nations to help fund activity in their areas. In themeantime, 100 per cent achievement of dues, quota and annual and special appeal targets isan essential political responsibility for every Branch if the Party is to function effectivenelyat every level.

Fund-raising While most of our members give gladly, their resources are not limitless.Thus Branches need to find ways of fund-raising other than by repeatedly asking the samepeople to put their hands in their purses or pockets. The Communist Party is the Marxistparty of the labour movement and so, when we ask non-members to support us financially,we are making the political case for the Party and its role.

It is important that all donors get a proper receipt and/or a letter of thanks, and areinformed about our activities so that they can see that their money is being well spent.

But raising funds for the Party and the Morning Star can also be done in more collective,political and enjoyable – and therefore effective – ways.

For example, branches in Scotland, Manchester and London organise a traditional ‘Burnssupper’ in honour of the revolutionary Scots poet; Cardiff and surrounding branches holdan annual ‘Red November’ dinner to celebrate the Bolshevik revolution; London branches


support an annual Seder Night Jewish dinner; fund-raising summer barbecues take place inHackney, Pontypridd, Brighton & Sussex and Birmingham; raffles or sweepstakes can bepromoted at social events (without which a licence must be obtained from the localauthority); Birmingham YCL and Wolverhampton comrades produce and sell badges,DVDs, T-shirts and framed postcards; other party and Morning Star supporters groupsorganise sponsored walks and historical tours (some of which include public houses ofrevolutionary significance); Welsh comrades and the YCL provide volunteers to theWorkers Beer Company in return for payment; some nations, districts and branches raise asurplus from their own bookshops or bookstalls (Party Centre will always supply books,pamphlets and Communist Review at a discount); car-boot sales can be an easy earner; bookfayres and bazaars are also held, usually for the Morning Star, although like formal dinnersthese require a lot of planning and effort in order to make a worthwhile profit.

In some areas, party branches have challenged local anti-war or Cuba Solidarity branchesto fund-raising skittles matches. An annual Xmas event in Taff ’s Well requires comradesbuying a round of drinks to put money in the cap for a dear, departed comrade – the lastperson standing then sends the substantial proceeds to the Morning Star.

Branches might consider which local, national or international events, anniversaries orpersonalities they could celebrate each year, combining pleasure with political educationand fund-raising. More May Day, International Women’s Day and Bolshevik Revolutionevents would be welcome, however local and small-scale, along with anniversary socials tomark the contribution of past Communists and other revolutionaries.

Treasurer and deputy treasurer While finance and fund-raising are the collectiveresponsibility of the Branch Committee, the treasurer of course plays a key role. In practice,very few comrades want to take on this job, perhaps through modesty about their ability tomanage the Branch’s income and expenditure. However, even at a book-keeping level theBranch treasurer’s job is an important political function, and in fact an essential legalrequirement now if the Party is to maintain its registration under the PPERA 2000.

This law now obliges all registered political parties to lodge the name of the treasurer anddeputy treasurer for each designated ‘accounting unit’ with the Electoral Commission. An‘accounting unit’ is any organisation of the Party which manages its own funds, whichincludes most Branches. Therefore, at the beginning of each year our Party treasurer has tohave a list of all Branch treasurers and (in case they resign) all their deputies.

In practice, the most likely deputy would be the Branch secretary – since they would haveto find a replacement if the Branch treasurer resigned – or one of the co-signatories tocheques from the Branch bank account. Of course, changes to branch officers can take placethroughout the year, so Party Centre needs to be kept informed of them.

Branch accounts A second consequence of the new electoral law is that all accountingunits have to draw up an annual statement of accounts, and keep them for up to six years.This should not be a significant alteration in practice, since the Branch treasurer andBranch Committee ought to be presenting annual accounts to the AGM. Although theprospect is remote, the Electoral Commission registrar is empowered to inspect theseaccounts at short notice.

It would therefore be good practice from now on for Branches to send a copy of theannual accounts to their District or Nation Committee for safekeeping. On the positiveside, keeping proper records will help districts and nations to keep track of shortfalls in dues


payments.The Electoral Commission has produced a model receipts and payments account which

can easily be adapted for our branches (see Appendix A).Donations and the law The PPERA 2000 sets out detailed and complex provisionsconcerning permissible, impermissible and reportable donations to political parties (seeAppendix B). The bottom line for our branches is that, to be on the safe side of the law, alldonations to the Branch from a single source above £200, or which add up to more than£1,000 in a calendar year, should be reported to Party Centre as soon as possible (althoughonly donors giving more than £1,000 to the Branch or £5,000 to the Party centrally have tobe disclosed to the Electoral Commission).

Working with the District or Nation Committee Our District, Scottish and Welsh Committees play a vital role in the life of the CommunistParty. Elected at a biennial congress, they have the responsibility in their area to guide thework of Party organisations including branches, direct Party enterprises, co-ordinate centralparty initiatives such as financial appeals, manage funds and assist Party members elected tolocal government and other public bodies. These committees also receive regular reportsfrom the Executive Committee and have the responsibility to help build or revive Branchorganisation in their area.

Therefore it is important that Branches participate fully in the political life and work oftheir district or nation, receiving regular reports of their District or Nation committeemeetings and supporting its initiatives. District or Nation Committee officers should alsobe invited occasionally to deliver reports to the Branch.

In parts of England where we have not re-established district organisation, branchesunattached to a District Committee are encouraged to liaise with other branches in thesame area, convening aggregate meetings where possible in order to help lay the basis forfuture district organisation. In the meantime, it is important for unattached branches toestablish and maintain strong links with Party Centre, the latter having specialresponsibility to help provide them with EC reports, Party materials and and other possibleassistance. In return, unattached branches have to take sole responsibility for fulfilling theirdues, quota and appeal targets to Party Centre.

Relations with the Party centrallyParty Centre and the Executive Committee have direct links with districts and nations, butthis does not detract from the need to strengthen relations between the Party centrally andour individual branches. These are necessary to ensure that branches regularly receivesupplies of Communist Review and Communist News (also sent to all members with notifiede-mail addresses) and of party leaflets, pamphlets, badges and other merchandise ordered bythe Branch . The monthly Political Letter – also sent to all members on e-mail – informsbranch secretaries of Party campaigning and organisational priorities over the comingperiod.

The Party treasurer contacts branch secretaries or treasurers about dues and quotapayments or problems. Membership records also have to be exchanged between the Branchand Party Centre, with both sides helping to ensure that our records are as accurate and up-to-date as possible. In addition, branches can raise matters of concern about political or


organisational matters with officers at Party Centre, including the General Secretary, and ifneeds be – in writing – with the Party EC for consideration at its next meeting.

Social LifeCommunists are revolutionaries, but we are not one-dimensional. Our overall objective isto build a world in which all people can enjoy the best that life has to offer – education,culture, family life, sporting and other leisure pursuits and so on. It is not the bestadvertisement for the Communist Party or for socialism if we give the impression that wehave no interests or concerns outside the work of the Party. Working people will not identifytheir aspirations with those who give the impression of being grim, uncaring fanatics.Within our own ranks, too, Party members should be sensitive to the responsibilities andproblems of our own comrades as well as to those of other people. Members are entitled totheir own ‘quality time’ in addition to that spent working for the Party and the broadermovement.

Strong supportive relationships may certainly be built through common experience ofstruggle, but these are often cemented through socialising together. For this reason,Branches should seek to organise their own social activities, to which non-members are alsoinvited. Such events may raise funds, but they also help members to get to know each other,an essential step towards building and sustaining morale, and helping new members to feelpart of our organisation.


communist newsJune 2007Published by the Communist Partyfree to members and supporters

3.BRANCH ACTIVITY

Communist Party branches engage in two distinct spheres of campaigning activity: broadmovement work and independent Party work.

Broad movement workCentral to our strategy for socialist revolution in Britain is the building of a democratic anti-monopoly alliance through mass struggle, with the working class – organised primarily inthe trade union movement – as its leading force. This means working people and their alliesorganising to fight for progressive and left policies across a wide range of social, economicand democratic questions. In addition to trade union and political bodies, this movementincludes organisations campaigning for peace, pensions, women’s equality, civil liberties,housing, the environment, international solidarity and against poverty, racism andimperialist war.

Communists seek to be active in these broad movements wherever possible, offeringpolitical leadership where necessary but always respecting the need for them to be broad-based and independent. Party branch meetings should discuss reports from members andallies in these local movements and campaigns in order to strengthen our contribution totheir progress, where necessary allocating one or two branch members to specific areas ofbroad movement work.

In particular, Branches should remember to pay attention to work in the local trade unionmovement. Comrades should be encouraged and assisted to be active in a trade union andthe local trades council wherever possible, reporting on developments to the Party branch.Local workers in dispute should receive messages of solidarity from the Party, includingvisits to the picket line with complementary copies of the Morning Star (which may itselfneed to be informed about the dispute if it is a purely local one). Offers of practicalassistance will usually be very welcome – and must be carried through when accepted –while instruction on how to conduct the dispute will not. The Branch should also helpensure that its trade union activists receive a copy of the ‘Needs of the Hour’ modelresolutions, drawn up every year for submission to union organisations.

Although our prime motivation for working in broad movements is not to recruit newmembers to the Party, this can result when Communists are seen to be making an effective,non-sectarian contribution to them both organisationally and politically. This will involveputting forward our own analysis and proposals where appropriate, although we shouldalways be careful not to abuse positions of responsibility in broad movement organisationsby utilising them for narrow party advantage.

Independent party workAt the same time, we also believe that these movements and campaigns – and the workingclass and progressive forces in Britain as a whole – would benefit greatly from a growth inthe size and influence of the Communist Party. The most immediate and direct way inwhich the profile and membership of the Party can be increased is through independentParty campaigning. This means Party members carrying out political work in the name of


the Party, issuing Party materials. In this way, too, we can put forward ideas and initiativesthat go beyond the prevailing consensus in many broad movements, seeking to raise thelevel of political understanding within them and among the people more generally.

Planning for successCampaigning activity can be very rewarding when successful. It will raise the confidenceand morale of participants, develop the sense of comradeship, win new friends andmembers, and enhance our standing in the minds of our allies. But when it is a failure, thereverse can occur. The key to successful campaigning is four-fold:

■ conception■ preparation■ implementation■ review.Most often, the best campaigning activity has been carefully considered beforehand by

the Branch Committee or, at least, at a branch meeting. What issue are we intending tohighlight, and why? Where and when should it be held with the best prospects ofmaximising involvement and impact? Which Party members can guarantee to attend? Whatmaterials will be necessary (leaflets, petition, pens, table, banner, posters?) and who willensure that they materialise on the day? the Branch meeting after the activity should assessits effectiveness and learn lessons for improvement in the future.

Of course, there can be occasions when we should ‘strike while the iron is hot’, respondingswiftly to a sudden crisis with a leaflet, stall, petition or public meeting. If there is no time tohold a branch meeting before taking decisive steps, an emergency meeting of the BranchCommittee or officers and key activists should be possible. Urgency may necessitate a breakfrom routine, but the right preparation will be as vital as ever even if it has to be compressedinto a shorter time-scale.

Types of campaigning activityAlmost every kind of public Party activity should involve at least two comrades. This is animportant health and safety consideration, as a comrade can fall ill or have an accident.Local conditions may also require additional activists, especially where the campaigningissue is a controversial or unpopular one, or where there is a danger of fascist harrassment.While the prospect of some hostility cannot be ignored, our experience is that 99 per centof Communist Party public activities are trouble-free, although there may sometimes be asmall number of passers-by who voice their displeasure at our existence. Campaignersshould avoid getting embroiled in heated or lengthy argument. It is usually a waste oftime and effort that would be better spent on other, more receptive and reasonablemembers of the public.

Having four or five members at an activity usually makes a much bigger impact than justtwo or three, and allows other supporting activities to take place such as a Morning Star saleand staffing a stall. Branch members who make a commitment to attend a localcampaigning activity should recognise that they are letting comrades down very badly whenthey fail to turn up for no good reason.

Leafleting is a straightforward activity and generates interest when done in a shopping


centre or at the entry to a workplace.A stall with petitions and posters creates a focus of attention and facilitates discussion with

interested passers-by. To avoid problems with the police, the stall should be sited on publicproperty (not always possible in some shopping centres) and should not cause anobstruction. Any petition should clearly state to whom it is addressed.

Another activity which directly engages the public is to conduct an opinion survey using aquestionnaire, as some comrades distribute leaflets and one or two others sell the Morning Star.

Petition figures and survey results can both provide attractive material for a subsequentstatement or letter to the local media. So, too, can the verdict of a people’s referendum on alocal, national or international issue which elicits strong opinions. In one General Electioncampaign, a Party branch placed a large black ballot box on a trestle-table in a shopping areaand invited people to mark a ballot paper for or against the plan to close their localsteelworks. Although the result was a foregone conclusion, the local paper sent aphotographer along and gave the event generous coverage (not least because fewer local jobswould lead to fewer readers).

Public speaking with a loud-hailer can be an effective complement to leafleting, paper-selling, petitioning or a people’s ballot. The speaker should concentrate on a few key pointscentral to the main campaigning issue or to that day’s Morning Star lead story. Most passers-by will not stop long enough to hear more than one minute of any speech.

When planning a shopping centre event, the precise location must be worked outbeforehand in relation to public use, visibility, transport and accessibility with materials.

In the case of factory-gate leafleting, some basic research will have to be done first – howmany workers are there? What times do the shifts start? Which is the busiest entrance?Generally it is a much better idea to distribute material as workers go in, since they thenhave the opportunity to comment on it. At ‘knocking off ’ time, they will be much moreinterested in getting home than in reading what we have to say. Leafleting will be difficultwhere workers arrive by car and drive through the gates. However, once credibility has beenestablished, drivers may well stop to collect material – particularly if the Party has gained areputation for ‘inside’ information.

Leafleting and Morning Star sales can also be done door-to-door. Obviously, leafletdistribution will be most rapid in terraced streets or tower blocks. While this work can bedone by individual comrades, morale is highest when a number can turn out at the sametime, and pairs of members can share individual streets. Despite the inclusion of an‘enquiry’ box on leaflets, however, we should avoid raising hopes too high for responses –generally we do well if we get one enquiry from 2,000 leaflets. Many leaflets will get binned,but every one read breaches the wall of ruling class propaganda.

Flyposting is generally illegal and can result in prosecution both for the individual and,whether the bill stickers are caught or not, for the organisation that produces the posters. Inaddition, it can be a dangerous business as territorial criminal elements are now involved inflyposting for events like rock concerts. However, well-placed political posters can have animpact when seen by large numbers of people otherwise denied the opportunity of knowingwhat the Communist Party is saying or doing. Using lamp-post and button stickers is oftenas effective, and carries much less risk. Painting slogans can have an even bigger impact, butit carries the greatest risk of being caught and severely fined. Whether painting, fly-postingor stickering, the golden rule is: keep away from residential or commercial premises, or you


risk committing criminal damage and causing offence and hostility. Edge of towncommuter routes and industrial areas provide sites for posters which carry much less riskand yet also reach large numbers of workers and travellers.

At demonstrations, there are many demands on comrades – leafleting, selling the MorningStar and carrying banners for labour movement and progressive organisations of which theyare members. Although Communists may be playing a leading role in the demonstration,all these commitments mean that they may not be visible. Yet it is important that the Partyshould be seen to be participating, not just to show that we are there but to display ourcommitment. So, the first requirement is to maximise branch turn-out. Next, wherenational posters are available, placards can easily be made from strong A3 card (stationers’ orartists’ suppliers) and light wooden strips (available in 1-2 metre lengths from the localhardware superstore) – to be collected back at the end so that they can be re-used.

Branch banners require greater investment in terms of time and expenditure, but will lastmuch longer! The Branch might consider organising a special fund-raising appeal or eventto pay for one. Our Cumbria Branch has shown cost-saving imagination by adding its nameto one of the Party’s hammer-and-sickle flags! On national demonstrations, the presence ofa number of colourful Party branch banners alongside that of the Executive Committee canbe particularly striking.

When the Party centrally urges support for a national demonstration, all branches withinreasonable travelling distance should give urgent attention to mobilising as many members andfriends as possible in response to the call. This will ensure that valuable work can be done at theevent, and that the Communist Party shows itself to be a united, active and disciplined forcewhose support is worth having. Branches should also make every effort to organise campaigningactivities in an all-Britain month of action when the EC calls one on a particular issue.

Branch newsletters and websites allow us the opportunity to raise important politicalissues, both national and local. Mailed to members, the newsletter can help tomaintain contact and morale, particularly where the Branch covers a widegeographical area or age profile, so not all members can get to meetings regularly.Oxford Branch also circulates its quarterly bulletin Impact to close friends and allies.Websites tap into an audience which we might otherwise miss – and one which is notexclusively young. Any organisation can establish its own website through an InternetService Provider for a small annual fee, although there may also need to be an initialoutlay for the necessary computer software. Of course, these two different media arenot mutually exclusive, as a newsletter can be posted on the Branch website and alsosent by e-mail to members (and interested non-members) who are connected. E-mailaddresses are now requested on the Party membership counterfoil, and CommunistNews and the Political Letter are already distributed this way to all who wish it,speeding delivery and saving postage costs.

Literature sales represent an important if low-profile campaigning activity. Nationalpamphlets should be read by all active Party members, but their effect will be limited if thatis as far as they go. The same applies to Communist Review, Congress Reports andCommunist News, so branches should identify potential readers outside the Party’s ranks. Itis not just a question of recruitment, although we hope that some readers will recognise theParty’s ideological role enough to join us. More important is that the issues raised getdisseminated and discussed in the wider labour and progressive movements.


Public meetingsOrganising a public meeting is a major undertaking which requires careful thought,planning and preparation (see Appendix C for a checklist of things to consider and do). As with other public activites, the rewards can be considerable, but the risks can also be highas can be the costs of failure.

Running the meeting itself also requires planning beforehand (see Appendix D). Indoor public meetings have to be seen as part of a broad campaign to raise the profile of

the Party or the Morning Star, and/or to highlight particular issues in the local community,and to strengthen our alliances with other progressive and labour movement forces.Attendance at the meeting by members of the non-activist public is a bonus, andexpectations should not be set too high.

However, there may be occasions where a meeting called in immediate response to a local,national or international crisis – one which will not be resolved before the meeting date –can bring together a wide range of concerned people.

Our Cardiff branch called an emergency public meeting immediately after SaddamHussein’s army entered Kuwait in August 1990, just as Britain and the US were first raisingthe possibility of a military response. Comrades spent the first half of the meeting bringingin extra chairs for the dozens of anxious peace campaigners, socialists and trade unionistswho turned up to the first meeting in the city on this issue.

Similarly, a meeting which responds immediately to, say, a local upsurge in fascist activitycan act as a focal point for the labour and progressive movements. This is especially so wherethe Party ensures that the platform hosts a broad range of political, trade union and anti-fascist speakers, perhaps under the banner of the Morning Star.

The public meeting has to be seen as a vehicle for raising political consciousness througha campaign involving leaflets, other publicity materials, use of the media (see below) and –if we are lucky – the meeting itself. Such meetings can also lead to specific campaigninginitiatives, like the Cardiff meeting above which facilitated the formation of a localCommittee Against War in the Gulf. Morning Star public meetings in Cornwall promptedthe formation of a local Cuba Solidarity network and in Newport brought togethercampaigners against council housing stock transfer.

If a public meeting is being held in the name of the Morning Star, the broad nature of thepaper’s existing and potential support must be respected. Morning Star meetings are notCommunist Party meetings under another name, and efforts should be made to ensure thatnon-Party supporters of the Morning Star play a full role in organising and participating inMorning Star events.

Public speaking It is not necessary to be a passionate or flowery orator in order to make an effective speech at apublic meeting. The following basic guidelines can help most Communist Party members toimprove their ability to make a speech in public; some also apply to less demanding but oftenjust as important talks or reports which may be required in a political or trade union meeting:

■ Know your subject. Preparation is essential, usually involving research andconsultation. Contact knowledgeable comrades and even Party Centre if necessary.

■ Make notes for your speech. As you gain experience, these should be reduced overtime from a fairly full script to a list of main headings, sub-headings and key quotes


and statistics.■ Plan the structure of your speech carefully, deciding what the main points are that you

want to convey to the audience and where in your contribution they will be made.If it is not already clear, begin by announcing what you will speaking about; end ona strong point which sums up the position you have taken.

■ Keep within any time limit and don’t speak for too long. A short, structured speechwill be more effective than a long, rambling one. Don’t try and include everythingthat you have learnt, or everything that could be said, about the subject.

■ Don’t apologise or make excuses for any lack of preparation, poor delivery etc. – youmay be doing yourself an injustice, and in any case the audience will not need yourhelp to identify any deficiencies.

■ Speak as clearly as you can, taking your time to consult and/or read your notes.Rushing puts pressure on your audience and on you. Look up at your audience asmuch as you can and do not mumble into your notes.

■ Humour can be effective, but do not overdo it because (1) you are probably not asfunny as you think and (2) it could sound as if you are not taking the issue seriouslyenough.

■ Avoid swearing and heavy sarcasm completely, and do not use terms or initials whichmany in your audience are unlikely to understand.

■ Repetition of some main points can help reinforce them, although this should not beoverdone.

■ Enliven your speech with a striking quote, a stunning fact or a simple but tellingstatistic or two – but again, do so in moderation.

Using the mediaFor generations, the mass media have been used to confuse people on public issues.However, in the local media in particular, publicity can be won with well-informed andclearly-presented material. This is also the least expensive form of campaigning.

Branch members should write in frequently to the letters page in local newspapers,especially comrades who may not be in a position to be very active in other areas ofcampaigning. One comrade should be specially authorised to write on behalf of the Branch(it may be the Branch secretary or press/media officer) so that the name of the Party can alsofeature on the letters page. Letters should be reasonably short and not abusive or otherwisepotentially libellous. If they respond to an article or editorial in a previous issue, this mightimprove the chances for publication (even more so if the letter congratulates the paper forraising the issue in the first place). Morning Star editorials often provide an excellent basisfor constructing a letter, especially if a local angle can be added.

Phone-ins on local radio stations and forums on local website blogs offer similaropportunities to promote the Party’s views.

Statements can be issued to the local press, web news and television and radio stations,but these will rarely be given coverage if they merely state the views of the Branch. The localmedia are primarily interested in statements which relate to an activity that is taking place intheir local area. This might be a public meeting or demonstration of some kind, apetitioning session, a lobby of the local council, a picket of an objectionable speaker or eventor the suchlike (see Appendix E for a model press statement). When issuing notice of suchan event or a report immediately after it has happened, a Branch statement should:


■ be on headed notepaper clearly stating the name and contact details of the Branch ■ feature the main points of interest in the first sentence or two■ express policy views in the form of a quotation from a speaker at the event or a Party

spokesperson – most media outlets will not publish Communist Party policies asthough they are an impersonal fact rather than somebody’s personal opinion

■ always include the contact details for a named Party representative – who must beeasily contactable – for further information or quotation.

If an event is interesting enough, the media may be prepared to give it advance publicity.Some papers and websites have a ‘what’s on’ column of forthcoming local events which canbe contacted.

A routine leafetting session or literature stall is unlikely to attract media coverage. But ifsomeone is there in an appropriate costume eg. dressed as a ‘fat cat’, prospects for publicitymay rise dramatically. So too if a banner is going to be unfurled, balloons released or a ‘mocktrial’ staged. It may be regrettable that gimmicks and stunts are often needed to attractmedia coverage, but it can also be fun! Timing is important, too. Campaigning activities arebest held – and media statements issued – in the morning for publicity to appear in themedia that evening and on the following morning.

Branches should seek to develop links with local media journalists, phoning them withnotice of events and following up written press releases. Circulate the name of the Branch’smedia spokesperson to all local media outlets and build up a Branch list of media e-mail andpostal addresses to which statements can immediately be sent.

Running election campaignsSuccessive Party congresses and Executive Committee s have reiterated the need forCommunists to make more use of electoral opportunities to project our party and itspolicies on a mass scale. When properly prepared and conducted, Communist electioncampaigns can raise the profile of the Party, introduce a left and socialist perspective into thecontest, raise political awareness, help to develop our local policies, mobilise our ownmembers, win new recruits and strengthen our contacts with left and progressive forces.

As Party branches develop an effective local campaigning presence, they should seek toincrease the quality and number of local election contests involving Communist Partycandidates. It is at local council level that Party resources can be used more effectively,and where potential support is greatest.

Where the work has been done, and growing public awareness of the Party and itsinvolvement in struggle can be achieved, it may also be appropriate to stand candidatesat General Elections; this would be important for propagating the Party’s views andraising its profile.The District or Nation Committee and then the Party EC have toapprove all constituencies and candidiates selected for a parliamentary contest, takinginto account financial as well as political factors.

In general, branches should look to stand in council or parliamentary elections whereverthe Party has the capacity to carry out propaganda work, except in areas where (1) ourintervention could directly prevent a Labour victory or let the fascists in; (2) the Labour


candidates are on the left; or (3) the real danger of a fascist victory requires support for theanti-racist candidate best-placed to defeat the fascists.

That’s the political case for fighting elections. What are the practical steps that have to betaken to do so?

Identify the best ward(s) or constituency to contest This should be where (1) theBranch has some members; (2) there is a history of Communist campaigning; (3) there aremajor social and political issues to be addressed; and (4) there is a sitting right-wing Labourcouncillor or MP. Generally, it will not be possible to satisfy all these requirements at once.In any event, this decision should be taken many months before the election, so that publicwork can be carried out there over the longest possible period.

Establish an election committee This may be the Branch Committee or main branchofficers together with the candidiate and some key activists. A dedicated election committeemeeting frequently will help ensure that the campaign is properly planned, resourced andexecuted.

Select the Party candidate Ideally the candidate should be well known in the localityand the local labour movement, confident and able to speak in public. However, theabsence of these qualities should not be a bar. All active comrades should be able to developsome or all of these qualities. The only legal requirement for local council elections is thatthe candidate lives or works in the local authority area, is not employed by the localauthority in question and is not a senior civil servant or a senior-level employee of anotherlocal authority. For the legal position on this and other election-related issues, go towww.electoralcommission.org.uk

Appoint an Election Agent The Agent must have an address within the local authorityarea or immediately adjacent, be a good organiser, collect and then submit the nominationpapers on time, attend the count (in order to argue over disputed ballot-papers) and ensurethat the necessary financial records are kept and prepared for submission. The agent andcandidate can be the same person, though this is not advisable.

Start campaigning This should be done over an extended period, to put the Party on themap. Leafleting is the most obvious: typically one active person can distribute 200 door todoor in an hour, but sessions of 4-5 comrades together are good for morale. Also importantare letters to the press by the candidate, door-to-door Morning Star sales, flyposting (but seeabove under ‘Types of campaigning activity’), a Saturday stall with petitions etc., open-airpublic speaking and canvassing where possible. If a loud-hailer or public address system isavailable, this can be used to good advantage to put the Party in the public eye during thecampaign. However, ‘soundbites’ have to be brief when this is done from a moving vehicle.The day before polling day is a traditional time for touring the ward or constituency with aloud-speaker.

Raise funds A realistic budget should be drawn up based on quotations for the biggestelements – leaflets, posters and room hire. Unlike local council elections, a deposit(currently £500) is required for each British, Scottish or Welsh parliamentary contest and isusually paid by the Party centrally. While members should be asked to make donations, the


case for supporting a Communist campaign needs to be taken into the labour movementand allies approached for financial contributions. District and Nation Committees shouldalso be prepared to assist branches, along with Party Centre.

Draft the election address The election address is the primary vehicle by which thecandidate is introduced and the Party’s policies are projected. The Branch needs to decidethe key campaigning issues and slogans before the start of the contest. The address shouldaim to take up both national and local issues, link them together and explain how aCommunist councillor would be different. There should be a brief biography of thecandidate and/or a personal statement by them and an advert for any Party public meetings.To help identify the local issues, it may be useful to appoint a comrade with specificresponsibility for taking cuttings from the local press. The address should clearly display thename of the ward, the election date, the candidate’s name and the words ‘VOTECOMMUNIST’. The Branch must also decide whether to use the hammer and peace doveor the hammer and sickle logo on its literature. The chosen one will feature on the ballotpaper.

The election address – and all other material which promotes the Party or its candidateduring the election period – must carry an imprint stating: ‘Printed by [name and full postaladdress of printers] and promoted by [name and full postal address of agent/representative] onbehalf of [name and full postal address of candidate]’. Whether or not the candidate is also theagent, an alternative imprint may also be used: ‘Printed by [name and full postal address ofprinters] and promoted by and on behalf of [name and full postal address of candidate]’.

In parliamentary elections, the Royal Mail will deliver election addresses to any or all partsof the constituency free of charge, but the design and content of the address must beapproved by a designated Royal Mail official before printing and distribution. Therequirements are available to prospective candidates, and in particular they specify thatelection addresses must not appeal for new members or money. Party Centre will designprint-ready election addresses on request.

Collect, complete and submit nomination papers Nomination papers, togetherwith the election timetable and a copy of the relevant electoral register, can generally becollected from the electoral services unit of the local authority once the register is ready. Theauthority will probably want to know the intended ward or constituency, the candidate andthe agent and nomination papers will need to be submitted by a set date, usually five weeksbefore polling day. The papers include a form requiring the candidate’s description to go onthe ballot paper (‘Communist Party’ or ‘Communist Party of Britain’) and a statement to besigned by the Party’s electoral nominating officer that the candidate is authorised to use theParty’s name and logo. A similar procedure applies if Party members are standing as part ofthe ‘Unity for Peace and Socialism’ alliance with domiciled Communists in Britain. Thecandidate must have the assent of 10 registered electors from within the ward orconstituency. Where we do not have enough members or known supporters, going door-to-door to seek ‘assent’ on the basis of our Party’s right to stand invariably succeeds.

Canvassing After distributing the election address in a planned way, the most effectiveway of winning votes is by canvassing. This is, in fact, the pinnacle of campaigning since itinvolves discussing our policies on the doorstep. Canvassers should take along canvass cards(design can be supplied by Party Centre) and copies of Party material and the Morning Star,


which they may be able to sell. Results of the canvass should be indicated as COMM, LABor any other left or progressive inclination. The cards should be used for ‘knocking up’ onpolling day ie. calling on committed Communist voters to ensure they have been to thepolling station. These supporters can be invited to buy the Star, come to Party meetings oreven to consider joining. In any case, the canvass cards are invaluable material which can beused for follow-up activities. Many comrades may lack confidence to canvass effectively, butit is a skill which can be learned in a Branch training session and by canvassing in pairs.

The count The count is usually held shortly after the polling stations close, and it isimportant that both candidate and agent attend. The agent will have been asked tonominate a number of counting agents, whose role is to watch the votes being sorted andcounted, and make sure that none get misallocated. The agent should also be on hand todeal with any questions of spoilt ballot papers.

Completing and returning election expenses The agent and candidate need to makea return of election expenses within about six weeks after polling day (longer in someparliamentary elections). This should include receipts where possible. Failure to completethe return satisfactorily may lead to barring from future contests.

Reviewing the campaign After the election is over, the Branch should meet to draw anylessons, and take decisions about follow-up including the need to maintain campaigning inlikely areas for future contests.

The Morning Star

Increasing the circulation of the Morning Star is crucial in the battle of ideas to raisepolitical consciousness among the working class and its allies, to build left unity and tomobilise opposition to the policies of state-monopoly capitalism. It provides the vehicleto project a left-wing programme and the alternative economic and political strategy toopen the road to socialism.

The special political relationship between the Party and the Morning Star is based on thefact that the editorial policy is guided by Britain’s Road to Socialism as agreed by successiveAGMs of the co-operative organisation – the People’s Press Printing Society – which ownsthe paper.

Without the Morning Star, our Party – and the whole labour movement – would beimmeasurably weaker. Without the Community Party, the paper would lose its ideologicaland strategic coherence, as well as its single biggest source of active political support.

Party branches need to support the Morning Star in a whole number of ways – winningnew readers, donating to the Fighting Fund, placing advertisements and helping run bazaars,book sales and other fund-raising initiatives. In Glasgow, Party members run a weeklyMorning Star stall in the city centre. If a local Morning Star Readers & Supporters Group doesnot exist, the Party branch should approach other readers, socialists and progressives with theobject of establishing one. With a sufficiently broad base, such groups can provide a forum


for discussion on the left as well as a structure for fund-raising and building circulation. Theyare also eligible for affiliation to organisations such as the Labour RepresentationCommittee, where they can play a direct role in the labour and progressive movements.

As a top priority of the Party, the Morning Star should feature on the agenda of all Branchmeetings. Discussion needs to be particularly directed towards winning new daily readers,which means that targets need to be identified. Regular Fighting Fund collections should beheld at the Branch and, wherever possible, at local labour movement meetings.

Where a demonstration or labour movement event is being organised locally, extra copiesof the paper should be ordered. Contact the Morning Star circulation department to discussand sort out the most convenient arrangements.

Political educationOne of the most important aspects of Branch life is the organisation of political education.To understand its role and content, we can pose the questions: why, who, what and how?

Why do we need political education? Communists are interested in changing the world(‘The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point, however, is tochange it’ – Marx, Theses on Feuerbach). We therefore need a theory of change, one whichanalyses society in its constant state of flux, and which on that basis devises the mosteffective political strategy. Marxism provides such a theory – a tool for both analysing thepresent and developing a longer-term perspective. But since society is in a continual processof change, we need continually to refresh our understanding of Marxism, testing ourstrategy against reality. It follows from this that we cannot simply take a detached or long-term view of society – political education must also be related to our short-term objectives,helping us to understand the problems of the working class and to give leadership in theday-to-day struggles.

Who needs political education? All members do. Very few of us have a comprehensiveknowledge of Marxism, so most members – and especially those who have recently joined –need political education. In fact, no-one in the Party has a monopoly of wisdom, so even themost experienced comrades benefit from participation in education classes. New problemsare continually arising, and collective discussion throws up different insights and solutions.

Political education is, however, not just for the Party. It is essential that Marxist ideaspenetrate deep into the labour and progressive movements to counter Britain’s longtradition of pragmatism and reformism. Our political education therefore needs to reachout, helping to develop mass class consciousness and – among the cadres of the labour andprogressive movement – an understanding of the need for revolutionary political change.Sales of Communist Review outside the Party can play an important role here, but it is alsoimportant to invite labour movement activists to contribute to, and take part in, discussionin Party branches and in district/nation day-schools.

What kind of political education? Any political discussion in the Party is, in a sense, aneducation. We learn not only from the presentation of a political report, but also from theresponses to it by other comrades, based on their own experiences and viewpoints. Thewhole process of discussion helps us as individuals to clarify our own thoughts, and enablesthe Party to develop its collective viewpoint.

This of course is education about current political developments, important if we are to


intervene effectively in our public work. However, in order to be able to analyse events andrelate them to our overall strategy, we also need education in Marxist-Leninist theory. Thefirst starting point here should be our programme, Britain’s Road to Socialism, together withParty pamphlets and some articles from Communist Review and of course the Morning Star.

For deeper understanding, however, it is necessary to deal with key aspects of Marxist-Leninist theory in more detail. Classic works by Marx, Engels, Lenin and other communistsare a valuable starting point for education, but they should not be regarded as holy texts, butrather as analytical tools, of key importance at the time when they were written and stillrelevant when tested against current circumstances. Of course, not all their judgements willhold, since society develops, but Marxism-Leninism is a living theory, being continuallyand creatively developed, not least by discussion in our own ranks.

At the other extreme, political education also involves detailed examination of particularcurrent-day issues such as pensions, trade union legislation and asylum rights. Sucheducation has a directly practical connection with our Party’s activity, since it is essential forus to be informed if we are to build campaigns on such issues. However, it is also importantfor such education to draw the links between the particular and the general, to make theclass context clear, just as it is important for a study of Marxist ‘classics’ to make the linkwith current political developments.

As Communists, we need to engage in struggle on three levels – class, political andideological. All are interlinked. Branch political education programmes therefore need toaddress all these levels. The Branch AGM should agree the broad objectives of politicaleducation for the coming year, to include a balanced combination of Marxist-Leninistclasses, political reports/discussions and presentations on more practical issues.

How – and with what resources? Some of the most successful political educationprogrammes are run as classes separate from the monthly or fortnightly branch meeting.This gives them more of a profile which can be projected to attract not only branchmembers but also allies and supporters.

The education and discussion is likely to be deeper and more stimulating if it is informed,and therefore all comrades should be asked to do some reading before the education classtakes place.

We already have sufficient materials published by our own party to form the basis of anumber of courses:

Course 1 Britain’s Road to Socialism (4 classes based on each major chapter and the Left-Wing Programme)

Course 2 An Introduction to Marxism (3 classes based on each chapter of the pamphlet)

Course 3 Contemporary Questions (based on our Manufacturing, Pensions, Education and Environment pamphlets)

Course 4 Women and Class (based on the pamphlet and the Charter for Women)Course 5 Classics of Communism (based on our series of pamphlets)

A tutor should take the lead in preparing for and introducing each class. While sharingresponsibilities between a number of tutors over the course ensures variety, a balance needsto be struck between appointing tutors who are reasonably knowledgeable and experienced,and encouraging other comrades to gain experience in this important role.


We learn most by active involvement. That’s why discussion is so essential. Anintroduction which goes on for half an hour often leaves other comrades feeling either boredor inadequate – and in any case many of the points made will have been forgotten by theend. The most constructive approach for the tutor is to concentrate on a relatively smallnumber of key points, to illustrate them and to put discussion questions to the class.

The political education of new members is particularly important, and branches maywish to consider appointing a ‘mentor’, to advise and encourage new members on theireducation, and to be available for one-to-one discussion of particular issues or pamphlets.

Since the re-establishment of an annual Communist University of Britain in 2003,similar initiatives have spread to Wales, Scotland and the Midlands. The annual industrialcadre school similarly aims to raise the levels of knowledge and political understanding ofour activists in the trade union movement. Branches should encourage and where possibleassist comrades to attend and participate in these exciting events. New members should alsobe encouraged to attend new members schools organised by Party Centre, districts andnations.


4.BUILDING THE BRANCH

Membership and recruitmentRecruitment is an essential part of the work of the Branch and its members, and should be aregular item of Branch Committee discussion. If the Branch does not recruit in any year it isnot a tragedy, but clearly it limits the degree to which the Party can campaign and raisefunds.

Sooner rather than later, of course, failure to recruit means a real membership decline.Biology is not on our side, but death is not the major cause of membership losses. Each yearwe fail to recard around 10 per cent of our members, including a significant proportion ofour recruits.

We will only overcome the major problem facing us – our small size – and maintain realmembership growth if we significantly boost the recruitment rate. Each branch thereforeneeds to develop, and periodically review, a recruitment strategy.

New members can be won if the Branch is campaigning, involved in the labour andprogressive movement, building Morning Star sales and maintaining a public profile.Although some enquiries will come through Party Centre, identifying and approachingpotential recruits is the responsibility of all branch members who meet people and discusspolitical issues with them. With the agreement of the Branch secretary or Committee, suchpeople can be invited to Branch meetings and other activities. The Branch also needs to bepro-active, maintaining a mailing list of potential new members, and ensuring that they areinvited to meetings and social functions and approached to buy Party literature and theMorning Star.

Party rules specify a formal procedure for dealing with applicants, involving an interviewand a report back to the Branch Committee before a decision is taken on admission. Thisensures that the decision is taken collectively and not on the whim of one or other leadingmember. Although it is not in the rules, it is also good practice for potential new membersto attend one or two meetings before joining, in order not only for members to get to knowthem, but also for the applicant to see how the Party functions and to judge themselveswhether they are ready to take on the responsibilities of membership.

At the same time, if we are going to be pro-active in winning new members, then thediscussion in the Branch Committee may sometimes come first. We decide whom we wantto win, agree that they would be an asset to the Party, and then ask them to join. In practice,therefore, the Branch or Branch Committee may authorise a Branch officer beforehand toissue a card on the spot if forthcoming discussions are satisfactory.

Members of the Party’s EC have also been authorised by Congress resolution to issuemembership cards to activists in the course of political work, although they must reporttheir action to Party Centre as soon as is practicable and Party Centre must in turn forwardthe details of the new member to their local branch.

We shouldn’t simply assume that potential recruits will make the first move when they areready. When people are reading our literature and the Morning Star, we should seizeopportunities to discuss with them the issues raised and win them to understand that theirplace is in our ranks, on the basis that they can make a contribution.

In all cases, new recruits must complete the standard membership registration form issued


by Party Centre, whether or not they complete the bottom section in order to pay duesand/or quota by direct debit.

Issuing a card is, however, just the first step. It is important that branch meetings arecomradely and open, and that new members are integrated as much as possible. It is anunfortunate fact that some of our organisational structures could act as a disincentive torecruitment, so help may be needed from the district or nation in particular circumstances– eg. if we are dealing with a young comrade where most Branch members are elderly, or anindustrial comrade who is unable to get to meetings regularly. District/nation-widemeetings of comrades in particular areas of political work, as well as district or areaeducation classes, may help comrades to feel part of the Party.

Following up membership enquiries A steady stream of enquiries about the Party arrives at the central office via post, phone ande-mail. Many are in direct response to advertisements in the Morning Star, others to leaflets,pamphlets, radio broadcasts, letters to the press, Communist Review or the web page. Someenquirers have simply found our address or phone number in the telephone directory. Allare sent a membership information pack, including a copy of What We Stand For, togetherwith a letter informing them that their enquiry has been passed on to a particular nation,district or branch.

Only about 10 per cent of these queries finally produce members. Of course, people askabout the Party for a whole number of reasons. Some definitely want to join, some are notcertain of their own political ideas while others are genuinely just seeking information. Wehave our share of hoax and ‘crank’ enquiries, and we must also assume that among thecorrespondents is the occasional fascist or intelligence agent.

We also have people who say at first that they want to join, and then change their minds.Perhaps, under domestic or social pressures, they get cold feet – or perhaps they haven’tthought things through sufficiently deeply, and aren’t ready for what is a major step in life.That doesn’t mean that they can’t be won eventually.

The fact that some Branches do much better than others in turning enquiries intorecruits, and retaining them, suggests that we are missing an opportunity to build the Party.The following checklist is intended to help overcome this problem:

■ In the first place, enquiries to Party Centre are referred to the Branch secretaryconcerned, with a copy to the district/nation secretary or membership organiser.

■ The Branch secretary or another designated officer should immediately phone theenquirer. Voice contact is by far the best initial approach. Arrangements should bemade to meet for an informal discussion. Security may be an issue if there is a riskthat the enquirer is a fascist. If so, meet at a safe venue or a known house address,with other comrades informed of the details.

■ If voice contact cannot be established after repeated attempts, efforts should bemade to write to, e-mail or call on the enquirer in order to arrange a discussion.

■ The first contact that enquirers have with the Branch should not be a writtencommunication inviting them to a Branch meeting. Most people are not willing to


turn up to a room full of strangers without any prior discussion with a Partymember.

■ In the event that discussions with the enquirer are positive, they should be assuredthat our meetings are open to non-members as well as members and that, while wewant to build the Party, we shall not be browbeating them to join. They should alsobe told that, while we need an activist Party, we recognise that not everyone is ableto make the same contribution.

■ If the enquirer is unable to get to Branch meetings, but still wants to join, then areport should be made to the Branch/Branch Committee so that arrangements canbe made to keep the new member in touch with Party activities and decisions.

■ Districts, nations and unattached branches are periodically required to report toParty Centre on the outcome of enquiries or applications passed to them.

RecardingCommonly called ‘card exchange’, this is an important annual process whereby membersreaffirm their political commitment to the Party. It should start when next year’smembership cards are printed, usually towards the end of the previous year, and aim tofinish by the end of January in the new year.

The Branch Committee should organise the card exchange to ensure that every Branchmember is seen personally by a committee member. This meeting provides the opportunityto discuss the work of the Branch, sort out any arrears in dues or quota and to remindmembers of their duty to receive the Morning Star every day. It should also be regarded inmany cases as an exercise in the process of cadre development (see below).

Where branches cover a wide geographical area, personal recarding visits may beimpractical in some cases. In such circumstances, recarding will have to be done by post,although this should be preceded if possible by a telephone discussion and a followed upwith a call to check that the card has been received.

Rapid recarding is essential for district/nation secretaries and the Executive Committee tohave an accurate picture of the progress of the card exchange. In addition, any cases ofdifficulty (eg. with dues collection, or loss of contact) should be reported. District/NationCommittees may be able to help where branch activists are short on the ground.

Cadre developmentA party ‘cadre’ is a committed active member who takes a conscientious approach to theirresponsibilities. These include attending party events whenever possible, taking part inactivities on behalf of the Party, seeking to play a part in the labour and progressivemovements, reading the Morning Star and party publications, and extending their politicalknowledge and understanding. Wherever possible, party cadres fight for the politicalstrategy and policies of the Party while abiding by the constraints of office within broadermovement organisations. On the basis of correct tactics and strategy, they aim to fulfil theirduties and give leadership in ways which unite, educate and mobilise those around them.While Communist cadres make no superior claims for themselves as individuals, they


endeavour to carry out their political work conscientiously, in a spirit of comradeship andmodesty, with consideration for others and a willingness to accept advice and criticism.

Clearly, it is a major responsibility of the Communist Party to help its members todevelop as cadres by providing education, training and guidance in political andorganisational matters.

At branch level, this requires the officers and Branch Committee to identify, designateand develop individual members of the Branch. There should be a planned discussion withevery active or potentially active member about any areas of experience and knowledge, anyrelevant interests or enthusiasms which they may have, and about the role they are or couldbe playing to assist the Party and the broader movement. Their requirements in terms ofpolitical education should also be assessed, including their capacity to help deliver as well asreceive it.

Such discussions will help the Branch leadership allocate party and broad movementwork to members, devise its local political education programme and identify comradeswho should be especially encouraged and assisted to attend central, national or districtevents in the Party.

There may be members whose skills could help set up a website or make a banner.Another comrade could be allocated to play an active role in the local CND or Stop the WarCommittee, or the Palestine or Cuba solidarity campaigns. Members at work could beadvised about joining or becoming more active in their union, even taking up a place on thelocal trades council where appropriate, while retired members may be in a position to play arole in the pensioners movement locally.

Members active in particular areas of campaigning work should be encouraged to worktogether in Party collectives in order to maximise their effectiveness on behalf of the Partyand the movement concerned.

In a number of important areas of political work, the Party’s EC has advisory committeesto co-ordinate our activity. The main ones are our industrial advisories (public services, civilservice, teachers, higher and further education, rails, media and manufacturing/services/transport) together with the peace, anti-racism/anti-fascism, women, pensions, housingand science/technology/environment advisories. Districts and nations are entitled tonominate comrades to serve on such committees, and branches should inform their Districtor Nation Committee of branch members who may be willing and politically ready toattend any advisory.

Wherever possible, every new recruit should be assigned a ‘mentor’ – a more experiencedcomrade in the same locality or area political work. The mentor will assist the new memberin expanding their political activity in the Party and broader movements, and throughdiscussion and recommended reading help them to develop their understanding of Partypolicy and Marxism-Leninism.

Young Communist LeagueAs Communists we are fighting for the future – not just for ourselves, but for the younggeneration and the generations to come. Young people need our Party if they are to have afuture, but the Party also needs the dynamism, enthusiasm and freshness of youth if it is tocampaign effectively and lead the struggle.

Within our ranks we have a tremendous record of experience. Past and present battlesfought by our comrades are both an inspiration and an example of effective communist


campaigning. However, each new generation needs to experience the class struggle for itself,in its own circumstances. Inside the Party, the enthusiasm of young people could easily becrushed.

For that reason the Party has its own youth organisation, the Young Communist League.Membership is open to all young people aged between 12 and 28 who accept the League’saims and objectives. The YCL is separate from the Party, decides its own constitution andpolicies and elects its own leadership. By providing opportunities for young people todevelop their political and organisational skills, it is a training ground for the communists ofthe future, as well as a campaigning organisation among the youth of today.

However, the YCL is spread very thinly and needs the support of the Party if it is to grow.Branches can help by buying the YCL’s journal, Challenge, contributing to the League’sfinances, identifying potential recruits, providing a venue for YCL meetings and supplyingsympathetic tutors for YCL education classes. Local YCL members should be invited toattend Party branch meetings, whether or not they are members of the Party.

The minimum age for Party membership is now 16. This means that, where there is noYCL branch, young people can still be part of the Communist movement. However, Partybranches need to be aware that their gain may be the YCL’s loss. Branches should thereforeinclude as part of their political work the need to build the YCL and encourage all membersaged 28 and below to join it.


On Karl Marx & Marxism£2.50, including postand packaging.

Appendix A

A MODEL BRANCH INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

RECEIPTS £Brought forward 53.62Membership dues 192.00Guarantor payments 144.00Donations 140.00Literature & merchandise 62.00Fund-raising events 296.50Bank interest 2.20Other receipts 18.00

TOTAL 908.32

PAYMENTS £Personnel expenses 16.00Room hire 40.00Printing 45.40Conference fees 40.00Fund-raising events 53.20Literature & merchandise 58.00Stationery, postage, phones 27.00Non-DD dues 176.00Non-DD quota 112.00Party appeals 185.00Morning Star donations 96.50Affiliation fees 25.00Other expenses 13.00Carried forward 21.22

TOTAL 908.32

NB. Every receipt and payment should be recorded in a cash book under the appropriateheading, including the date or month.

Appendix B

ELECTORAL LAW ON DONATIONS TO POLITICAL PARTIES

Only ‘permissible donors’ may make donations of more than £200 to registered politicalparties in Britain. The PPERA 2000 defines ‘permissible donors’ as any individual on a UKelectoral register; or a UK-registered political party, company, trade union, building society,limited liability partnership, friendly society; or an unincorporated association based inBritain.

Donations of more than £200 from impermissible sources (eg. foreign residents not on a


UK electoral register) or unidentifiable ones cannot be accepted, although collections andother lawful fund-raising revenues can. The provision of non-cash support to a party – suchas providing free office space or supplies – must also be treated as a donation. The legislationalso classifies sponsorship of party events as a donation.

The Communist Party centrally is required to make quarterly returns to the ElectoralCommission, giving details of all donations above £5,000 accepted by Party Centre andabove £1,000 accepted by a party accounting unit (which the Branch must therefore reportto Party Centre as soon as possible). Donations made by the same donor to differentaccounting units of the Party totalling more than £5,000 in a calendar year must also bereported, as must those made on different occasions to a party accounting unit totallingmore than £1,000. These provisions cannot lawfully be avoided by making the donationsvia individual party members. Donors who make numerous small donations of £200 or lessmust themselves submit a report to the Electoral Commission if these add up to more thanthe £5,000/ £1,000 annual thresholds.

(Further information is available at www.electoralcommission.org.uk)

Appendix C

PREPARING FOR A PUBLIC MEETING

1. Decide your date and time. This may seem obvious, but you do need to allow plenty oftime to get all the preparatory work done.

2. Decide your topic. Ideally this should be important to the Branch campaigningstrategy. However, another topical domestic or international issue may draw a goodresponse.

3. Choose the venue very carefully. It is no good having a cheap meeting place if peoplestay away. Is the venue safe for comrades and the general public to attend? Is itaccessible for members and supporters with disabilities? Will a pub venue turn offpotential attenders? Ideally, the venue should be located in an area where the Branchhas already established a profile.

4. Decide your speakers. For a Party meeting, the keynote speaker should be a leadingParty member locally or nationally, but others need not be members at all. A broadplatform will help to generate interest, although all-male platforms should be avoided.If any speakers are to be advertised as office-holders in another organisation, checkwith the speaker whether this is permissible, and whether the words ‘in personalcapacity’ need to be added to their description.

5. Design and produce publicity material. Cost is an important issue, but a well-designedleaflet has more chance of being read (even if people don’t come!). One comradeshould be given the responsibility of drawing up a first draft, and then incorporatingany suggestions. The leaflet should make clear that the Party is organising the meeting.Without cramming too much into it, the leaflet should be two-sided so that somepolitical points can be made as well as providing details of the meeting. The leafletmust carry an imprint , however small, saying ‘Printed and published by …’, followedby the Party Branch name and address.

6. Target your audience. A direct attempt should be made to attract labour and


progressive movement activists to the meeting, by circulating a notice or a specialletter of invitation by post and e-mail. A phone around or mutliple text message oneor two days before the meeting can also be very effective in boosting the size of anaudience.

7. Distribute publicity material. For leafleting, door-to-door is the most effective asrecipients live in the locality where the meeting is to be held. However, a localshopping area can also provide useful opportunities for leafleting or displaying posterswhich advertise the forthcoming event.

8. Issue a press statement. See the ‘Using the media’ above.

Appendix D

CONDUCTING A PUBLIC MEETING

1. The meeting-room should be properly signposted, and if possible decorated withParty/Morning Star posters. There should be a stall with Party literature and theMorning Star.

2. The chairperson should open the proceedings by introducing herself/himself,welcoming the public, stating the purpose of the meeting and introducing thespeakers.

3. The speakers should be told beforehand how much time they have, and the speakingorder, worked out in consultation with them. The chairperson will need variousstratagems to ensure that they do not run over (much).

4. After all of the speeches, the chairperson should invite questions, to which thespeakers may respond, and then open up the meeting to discussion.

5. At some point, the chair should either conduct a collection to offset the costs oforganising the meeting, or introduce another comrade to do so.

6. A contact list may also be announced and circulated so that attenders can be contactedabout subsequent initiatives or meetings.

7. The speakers should be invited to respond to the discussion, and the chair should thenadd some concluding remarks, including thanks to the speakers, a report on the fundsraised in the collection, and an invitation to members of the public to join the Party.

8. The speakers should get their expenses. A report of the meeting should be sent to thelocal press and the Morning Star.


Appendix E

A MODEL PRESS RELEASE

Cardiff Branch, Communist Party of BritainCangen Caerdydd, Plaid Gomiwnyddol Prydain

June 23 2007For immediate release

‘JAMES SHOULD RESIGN OVER NHS CUTS’ SAY COMMUNISTS

CARDIFF COMMUNISTS are calling for the resignation of the chief executive of thecity’s main NHS hospital trust.

They made the demand after launching a petition on Saturday against proposed cuts inlocal health services.

‘Mr Byron James has betrayed every pledge he gave to the trade unions and the people ofCardiff six months ago’, Communist Party branch secretary Jill Jones declared today(Monday). ‘Now their budget is in deficit because of the money wasted on bureaucracy andprivate contractors, and the Cardiff Royal Hospital Trust has no solution except to slashvital jobs and facilities’, she added.

The hospital trust’s management committee announced cuts in facilities and services lastweek in a bid to save £23 million of a projected deficit of £26 million this year.

But the local branch of the Communist Party has launched a petition supported by localtrade unionists against the emergency measures, demanding that plans to spend £30 millionon private treatment provision be scrapped instead.

‘Our petition attracted 367 signatures in less than two hours’, Ms Jones remarked, ‘whichindicates the extent to which local citizens reject the mismanagement and misiniformationcoming from Mr James and his senior colleagues’.

She plans to present the final list of signatures to the next meeting of the hospital trustboard on July 22.

END

For further information contact: Jill Jones tel. 029 20999999 (home) 07777 999999(mobile) or e-mail [email protected]


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