Communist League (UK, 1988)

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Not to be confused with Communist League of Great Britain or Communist League (UK, 1990).
Communist League
LeaderCollective leadership (Central Committee)
Founded1988
HeadquartersLondon
NewspaperThe Militant
IdeologyCommunism
Euroscepticism
Political positionFar-left
International affiliationPathfinder tendency

The Communist League is a British political party that was formed by a group of members expelled in 1988 from Socialist Action. Those members had joined the American Socialist Workers Party's Pathfinder tendency. It maintained a bookshop in London, originally in The Cut, then Bethnal Green Road. It now operates a web/mail order service from Seven Sisters for Pathfinder publications. The League's members sell The Militant, the paper of the American Socialist Workers Party. The group claims that many of its members work in the meat-packing industry.[1]

Two Communist League candidates stood in the 2005 general election; one ran in Bethnal Green and Bow polling 38 votes, the seat which was gained by George Galloway for Respect. In the 2008 London Assembly election, Julie Crawford stood in the City and East constituency and polled 701 votes, 0.3% of the popular vote, coming 12th and last among the candidates.[2] In the 2010 general election, the Communist League stood Caroline Bellamy in Edinburgh South West (48 votes)[3] and Paul Davies in Hackney South and Shoreditch (110 votes).[4][5] Peter Clifford stood in Manchester Central in 2012,[6] gaining 64 votes. In the 2012 London Assembly election, Paul Davies stood in the City and East constituency and increased the vote to 1,108 (0.6) coming last out of eight candidates.

For the 2015 general elections, the Communist League stood two parliamentary candidates – in London and Manchester – and two other candidates for Manchester City Council.[7]

Peter Clifford withdrew his candidacy in the Greater Manchester mayoral election, due to take place 4 May 2017, citing the cost of the deposit.[8] He stood instead in the 2017 general election for the constituency of Manchester Gorton, gaining 27 votes, equating to approximately 0.1% of the vote.[9][10] Andrés Mendoza also stood as a Communist League candidate in the Islington North constituency for the 2017 election, receiving 7 votes.[11]

In the 2019 general election, Caroline Bellamy stood in the Manchester constituency of Wythenshawe & Sale East, winning 58 votes [12]

The Communist League announced in February 2021 that it was standing Pamela Holmes as a candidate in the 2021 London Assembly election, Peter Clifford in the 2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election and Andrés Mendoza in the 2021 London mayoral election.[13]

Andrés Mendoza was not however included in the final list of Mayoral Candidates, suggesting the Communist League had withdrawn from the 2021 London Mayoral race.[14] Similarly Peter Cifford was not included in the list of candidates declared for the Greater Manchester Mayoral Election by the time nominations had closed[15]

References[]

  1. ^ Communist League in U.K. holds special congress – From Militant, 2 July 2007. Accessed 10 October 2007.
  2. ^ London Elects
  3. ^ "Election 2010 - Edinburgh South West". BBC News. 2010-05-07. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  4. ^ Hackney Citizen. "Paul Davies: Communist League parliamentary candidate for Hackney South". Hackney Citizen. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  5. ^ "Election 2010 | Constituency | Hackney South & Shoreditch". BBC News. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  6. ^ Wainwright, Martin (2012-09-14). "US presidential candidate intervenes in Manchester by-election | UK news". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  7. ^ "UK communist candidates join protests, advance class independence". The Militant. 2015-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
  8. ^ "Greater Manchester mayor: Communist League candidate Peter Clifford pulls out of race". BBC News. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated". manchester.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  10. ^ Manchester Gorton Parliamentary constituency - Election 2017. BBC NEWS. Published 9 June 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Islington North". UK Parliament. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Wythenshawe and Sale East". UK Parliament. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Communist League candidates back labor struggles in the UK". Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Election Booklet 2021" (PDF).
  15. ^ "Elections 2021: Greater Manchester and Salford mayor candidates".
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