Learning the lessons of front work

The following resolution was passed unanimously by the tenth party congress of the CPGB-ML.

This congress notes that in the last five years our party has gained considerable experience in working as part of a broad front, both nationally and internationally. This work has been undertaken in order to try to amplify the voice of Marxist-Leninist revolutionary politics – to put our analysis, our political line and our practical programme of action in front of as wide an audience as possible, especially given the very active work by the British imperialist state and its various minions in the self-identifying ‘official’ left to suppress, marginalise and vilify our party and its programme.

Congress recognises that a revolutionary party must never be afraid to make new alliances if they can be brought to serve the ends of building the forces for revolution in Britain (which of course includes strengthening the forces of anti-imperialist resistance at home and abroad). Recent experience, however, teaches us that for such work to be successful and to serve the long-term interests of the working class, certain prerequisites must be borne in mind and certain principles adhered to.

Congress therefore resolves that the condition for entering any future alliance must be:

1. An acceptance of the party’s right to freedom of expression and criticism within the proposed alliance, in private initially but in public if our party deems it necessary to ensure the long-term success of the movement.
2. An acceptance of the party’s right to its independent political line and independent political publications.
3. An acceptance of the party’s right to its continued organisational independence.

Congress further resolves that during a period of broad front work, the party must make every effort to:

1. Ensure that those engaging on the party’s behalf in any front work understand clearly that they do so under the direction and discipline of the party, which remains their sole object of loyalty.
2. Tighten up its internal discipline and subject all front work and those carrying it out to the highest possible level of scrutiny.
3. Actively strengthen (rather than allowing to be weakened and undermined) its organisational structures and public activities.
4. Refuse membership of our party to any individual who considers him/herself to be bound to the discipline of another organisation, whether in Britain or abroad. Our members may be supporters of other organisations but any work they undertake in those must be under the direction of the party.

This congress believes that only by abiding by the measures outlined above can we ensure that the party takes full advantage of every useful opportunity that arises to expand the reach of our revolutionary politics, while preserving the party’s cohesion and independence and avoiding the danger of liquidationism.