5-10-07, 9:17 am

Communists Welcome Election Advance Communist Party of Britain general secretary Robert Griffiths welcomed the party's work in the recent Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and English and Scottish local elections as a 'substantial political success'.

'On a mass scale, we have projected the case against the privatization of public services such as the NHS, against imperialist war and a new generation of nuclear weapons, and for policies to challenge the power and wealth of big business', he commented over the weekend.

'We have also played a leading role with our allies in many areas in the fight against the BNP and other fascists', he pointed out.

Mr. Griffiths revealed that in most cases Communist candidates had increased their vote over previous contests, winning 14 per cent of the poll in Linacre ward, Sefton, and 9 per cent in Yeo ward, North Devon.

In Wales, some 3,700 electors – one voter in every 200 - supported the CPB regional lists despite the party's limited campaigning in many areas where it has little or no organization.

'We stood in every region in order to secure election broadcasts and become part of the national debate, and as a result we have received enough membership applications to form at least two new branches and strengthen six others across Wales', Welsh secretary Rick Newnham reported to a meeting of the Communist Party's Welsh secretariat on Sunday.

In Scotland, the CPB vote in Glasgow Govan constituency rose slightly to 251 (1.2 per cent), showing the impact of more concetrated campaigning when contrasted to its Glasgow regional vote of 260.

The new Communist-led Unity for Peace and Socialism alliance made a strong showing to win 7 per cent of the vote in the Coleman and Evington wards in Leicester.

'These were just the first shots in a sustained campaign for a left-wing programme which can unite working people and their families', Unity spokesperson Avtar Sadiq declared.

From Communist Party of Britain

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