If you would like to contact us please email:
southwest@communist-party.org.uk
The South West of England and Cornwall District of the Communist Party of Britain was established in early 2011.
Our District is a continuation of the previous Devon and Cornwall District and the West of England District. These ceased to operate following the dissolution of the old Communist Party of Great Britain in 1991.
Like other Districts of the CPB, we cover the same geographical area as that of the regional TUC: Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
We have an active branch network and members involved in local trade union, community, anti-racist, anti-cuts, Stop the War, Cuba and Palestine Solidarity Campaigns and other progressive organisations.
The North Devon Branch regularly stands candidates in local and general elections, a practice that will hopefully be taken up by other branches.
In the South West we are lucky to have the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival in Dorset each summer. The CPB presence at this event is growing every year, as is our commitment to promote the Morning Star to festival goers.
Several branches in the district also work with Morning Star “Readers and Supporters” groups, raising funds for the paper and selling it at trade union events and on street stalls.
We make special reference to Cornwall for the following reasons.
Our Party’s programme, Britain’s Road to Socialism, says
“The nationalist movements in Scotland, Wales and Cornwall contain progressive and left-wing elements which oppose many of the reactionary policies of monopoly capital and the British state. However, the SNP and Plaid Cymru remain committed to state-monopoly capitalism’s European Union project, which is itself wedded to the dominant principles and outlook of neoliberalism. Nonetheless, these elements can be won to the fight for measures which favour the working class and challenge at least some of theinterests of British imperialism.”
The programme also says,
“The distinctive national, cultural, economic and social characteristics of Cornwall should be expressed through a directly elected Cornish Assembly, with powers that match local aspirations. Further steps need to be taken to promote the Cornish language in schools – especially as a medium of education and play at nursery, infant and junior levels – and on public signs and notices.”
There are two kinds of nationalism: the kind that is compatible with internationalism and the kind that isn’t. The CPB is happy to support the first kind.
Our Party’s Aims and Constitution are set out here.