New Communist Party of Britain

Introduction

Our Congress is an inaugural one. It will need to agree the rules, define some perspectives, initiate immediate campaigns, agree organisational guidelines and elect a leadership. It was agreed at the July 16th Conference when the first decision was taken not to attempt to prepare a party programme but to leave that to the Second Congress.

It will not be possible for this Congress with the lack of time both for preparation and in its sessions to tackle every issue.

The Provisional Executive felt it desirable to raise some questions. Those included in this resolution are our long term attitude to labour unity in British conditions and the historic role of the Marxist-Leninist party.

Congress will need to work out perspectives in relation to Scotland and Wales and to establish a policy on Ireland.

The overall approach does not seek in any way to minimise the importance of any questions that we will not be able to discuss in depth at this stage.

One of the duties of the new E.C. will be to prepare the next Congress as the occasion when there will be a comprehensive policy on all issues as far as possible.

30th October 1977