About Us:

Membership of the Communist Party is open to all people aged 16 and above, who accept the aims, rules and policy of the Party, pay their dues regularly and work in a Party organisation.

The basic organisation of the Party is the branch. All members are allocated to the most appropriate branch for them.

They are encouraged to participate fully in the branch's work, in order to pool experience, to deepen their own understanding of political affairs and of Marxist theory, and to develop to their full potential as communists. Branch meetings are generally open to interested non-members.

Through collective discussion and activity in branches, the Party intervenes in the political life of the workplace and community, projecting its Alternative Economic and Political Strategy, giving support in day-to-day struggles, and working to build a broad democratic anti-monopoly alliance in order to secure fundamental political and economic change.

Each branch holds an annual general meeting at which a branch committee is elected, to give leadership to activities for the forthcoming year.

Branches are grouped within Nations and Districts, established on the basis of coherent geographical areas. Workplace branches also exist.

In each district/nation, a congress is held every two years, composed of delegates elected from the various Branches. The district congress decides the broad perspectives for Party activity within the district for the next two years, and elects a District Committee to carry that work forward, of which we are the District Commitee responsible for Yorkshire.

The Welsh and Scottish Congresses elect their own leading committees and formulate policies for their respective countries in accordance with the general lines of the Party's programme and approach.

The all-Britain National Congress, composed of delegates from branches and national and district committees, is held every two years. This decides policy for the Party as a whole, and elects an Executive Committee to carry that policy forward and direct the Party's work between national congresses.

In turn, the EC elects a Political Committee to provide leadership in between EC meetings. A number of advisory committees, incorporating delegates from nations and districts, also exist to help develop policy and assist the Party's work in particular industries or areas of activity (for example among women, pensioners, the unemployed and in education and international affairs).

Democracy underpins the decision-making process throughout the Party. But, without discipline, that democracy would be completely undermined. Decisions of higher organisations are therefore binding on lower bodies - although this is not a simple one-way process.

The EC and national and district committees have a duty to explain their decisions to lower Party organisations, who in turn have the right to make their views known to the higher committees. These procedures are set out and explained in more detail in the latest edition (1997) of the document Inner Party Democracy.

An essential element of Party discipline is that members commit themselves to pay their dues regularly. Membership dues are currently £12 per month waged , £7 per month low-waged, 2 unwaged, and in addition members may pay a regular voluntary contribution.

The Party's programme, Britain's Road to Socialism, is available in pamphlet form. This document sets out, from a Marxist-Leninist perspective, the essential steps for achieving socialism in Britain. All members are encouraged to read and understand the BRS, and to apply it creatively to the changing political situation.

The theoretical and discussion journal of the Party is "Communist Review". This normally appears three times a year, and carries articles from Party members, fraternal overseas parties and invited non-Party contributors, as well as publishing letters and book reviews. Articles from "Communist Review" often provide the basis for branch discussions.

Key reports from Executive Committee meetings are disseminated via the bimonthly "Communist News". Branches, districts and nations are encouraged to send in reports of their activities for inclusion in this bulletin.

The EC, national and district committees and many individual branches produce pamphlets and leaflets on topical issues. Some Party organisations produce their own bulletins for local distribution. A complete list of current publications is available.