Communist Party of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party of Scotland (CPS), also known as Pàrtaidh Co-Mhaoineach na h-Alba, was established in 1991 when the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB) was disbanded and re-formed as the Democratic Left
think-tank. Many Communists in Scotland
disagreed with this decision and instead set up the CPS, with its headquarters in Partick
, Glasgow
. Some 280 former members of the CPGB in Scotland joined the new party including Mick McGahey
, who had been a leading member of the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1970s and 1980s. Former CPGB General Secretary Gordon McLennan
was also associated with the party.
The current national secretary of the CPS is Eric Canning. The CPS has fought no parliament
ary elections, but has been supporting the Scottish Socialist Party
in recent times. The CPS does not feature much on the Scottish political landscape, but they do continue to sponsor a councillor
, William Clarke, in Fife
. Annual membership is £10 waged and £5 unwaged.
They support Scottish independence
and Eric Canning is honorary convenor of the Independence First
(IF) movement which is campaigning for a referendum on Scottish independence.
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB) was disbanded and re-formed as the Democratic Left
Democratic Left (United Kingdom)
Democratic Left was a post-communist political organisation in the United Kingdom during the 1990s, growing out of the Eurocommunist strand within the Communist Party of Great Britain and its magazine Marxism Today...
think-tank. Many Communists in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
disagreed with this decision and instead set up the CPS, with its headquarters in Partick
Partick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Some 280 former members of the CPGB in Scotland joined the new party including Mick McGahey
Mick McGahey
Michael "Mick" McGahey was a Scottish miners' leader and life-long Communist, with a distinctive gravelly voice. He described himself as "a product of my class and my movement".-Early life:...
, who had been a leading member of the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1970s and 1980s. Former CPGB General Secretary Gordon McLennan
Gordon McLennan
Gordon McLennan was General Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain between 1975 and 1990.Born in Glasgow, McLennan worked as an engineering draughtsperson before taking on various full-time posts within the CPGB...
was also associated with the party.
The current national secretary of the CPS is Eric Canning. The CPS has fought no parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
ary elections, but has been supporting the Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
in recent times. The CPS does not feature much on the Scottish political landscape, but they do continue to sponsor a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
, William Clarke, in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. Annual membership is £10 waged and £5 unwaged.
They support Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
and Eric Canning is honorary convenor of the Independence First
Independence First
Independence First or Independence 1st is a political movement in Scotland, first proposed through internet discussions in September 2004, then formally constituted on 19 February 2005...
(IF) movement which is campaigning for a referendum on Scottish independence.
Articles
- Perspectives for Scotland - critical review of a 2007 CPS pamphlet from the London New Worker
- CPS support for Scottish independence - Support for this statement includes Eric Canning
- Voices for Scottish independence critical review of a CPS report of a conference held in 2008 from the London New Worker