9-6-06, 7:24 a.m.

The Young Communist League (YCL) of Britain concluded its 43rd Congress this past weekend. The outgoing general secretary of the Young Communist League, Gawain Little, told delegates at weekend that the organisation had come on 'in great leaps and bounds.'

Comrade Little said that the YCL had had great successes over the past 18 months.

'It's of great satisfaction to me that the YCL has come on in great leaps and bounds, as we have seen membership double in the last year and the number of active branches treble,' he said.

'The YCL can look forward to this continuing under a young, dynamic and competent leadership.'

Delegates at the congress discussed a range of issues including the adoption of a new industrial strategy, the nature of the sex industry, the YCL strategy for young women and an emergency resolution on the situation in the Middle East.

The YCL congress elected a new executive committee and the new executive appointed Ben Stevenson as general secretary and Ben Chacko as chairman.

'The key task of all comrades over the coming period will be to build the YCL, in terms of membership, organisation and involvement in day to day political struggle', remarked incoming General Secretary Ben Stevenson.

The YCL also closed its national summer offensive with the news that the target of £3,000 for an associated development fund had been well exceeded.

The new executive committee and officers of the YCL are Ben Stevenson (general secretary), Ben Chacko (chairman and Challenge editor), David Morgan (industrial organiser), Joanne Stevenson (student organiser), Gawain Little (treasurer), Daniel Cole, Paul Dobson, Brendan Lee, Steven Martin and Raphael Ross.

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