Communist Party of Great Britain - Draft Programme

Gestation

This draft programme has had a rather long gestation. Its first stirrings were, I suppose, the critique I wrote of the British road to socialism published in The Leninist way back in 1983. This was expanded upon in 1989 and finally updated and completed in the 1991 book Which road?

It was on the basis of this groundwork that the organisation as a whole embarked on the task of developing our revolutionary alternative to the programme of the opportunists. Militant included.

Over the course of 1991 we presented 40 seminars covering virtually every aspect of the revolutionary programme. Beginning on January 6 1991, the series was concluded just under 12 months later on December 8 1991. In all 20 comrades gave submissions. There were also countless amendments and suggestions which came from members, supporters and friends of the Party participating in our discussions.

As instructed by the Provisional Central Committee, I have tried to shape that abundant material into a coherent and presentable whole. In so doing I have taken account of political developments since 1991, the theoretical advances we have collectively made and the necessity of making the programme as brief and exact as possible. It will also be noted that I have drafted a set of rules.

Like the draft programme they are not simply designed for the future.

The programme has to be voted on by the refoundation congress of the CPGB before acceptance of it becomes a stipulation of membership. Nevertheless through arriving at and then propagating an agreed draft programme and rules we can greatly enhance the struggle to reforge the Party.

In the mean time we ourselves need a firm set of rules. There is no doubt much more that must be done both in terms of addition and subtraction. But at least comrades now have something to get their teeth into.

Jack Conrad
September 5 1995

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