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Tag: Mark Ashton

11 Feb 2019 Young Communist League of Britain

Mark Ashton: 1967 – 1980

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LATEST NEWS

  • International Women’s Day 2019: Celia Sánchez 21 Feb 2019
  • International Women’s Day 2019: Melita Norwood 20 Feb 2019
  • International Women’s Day 2019: Ruth First 19 Feb 2019

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In this instalment the YCL celebrates the life of little known Communist Party veteran and Soviet agent, Melita Norwood #️⃣1️⃣3️⃣ 🕵️‍♀️🚩 Melita Norwood (1912 – 2005) Britain’s humblest and highly important Soviet spy, was born to socialist parents, in Bournemouth in 1912. She spent her early political life as an active member of Independent Labour Party until the party split in 1936, pushing her to become, an atypically low profile and unbeknownst to intelligence authorities, member of the Communist Party of Great Britain. Her employment as a secretary at the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association flagged her, to prominent CPGB member Andrew Rothstein, as someone with potential value to the NKVD intelligence service of the USSR. Her double life as an intelligence agent began as a member of the so-called Woolwich Spy Ring, which gathered valuable intelligence throughout the 1930s. While other members of the ring were caught and arrested, Norwood remained undetected for most of her long life. The information she was able to provide as “Agent Hola” allowed the USSR to catch up with the UK’s nuclear programme within two years. The importance of this heroic act cannot be overstated in terms of guaranteeing peace and the security of the socialist countries in the 20th Century. It weakened the scope for the imperialist NATO alliance to implement its genocidal "First Strike" policy. However despite the USSR's ability to defend itself and the socialist camp, nuclear war and the first strike policy would remain an obsession for the US, UK and the NATO powers. Norwood lived into old age without being outed as a spy, until 1999 when the testimony of a Soviet archivist sent journalists from across the country to her front door. At the door the media found a unassuming old woman making them all cups of tea and wondering what all the fuss was about. Norwood never made a penny as an intelligence source for the USSR. Read more about her at the link below ➡️➡️➡️ www.ycl.org.uk/2019/02/20/ international-womens-day-2019-melita-norwood/
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Today we pay tribute to Ruth First, South African Communist, journalist and anti-apartheid fighter 1️⃣2️⃣🇿🇦 Ruth First (1925 1982) was a South African activist, scholar and journalist born on the 4th of May 1925 in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was a central force within the anti-apartheid movement of South Africa using both direct action through her affiliations with the South African Communist Paty (SACP) and the African National Congress (ANC), and her many journalistic articles and books published openly challenging the oppressive apartheid regime. First's parents were founding members of the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA), which would later be outlawed by the apartheid government. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Social Studies at the University of Witwatersrand. While a student there, she was extremely politically active, helping to found the Federation of Progressive Students (a multiracial student organisation opposing apartheid) along with notable political names within the anti-apartheid movement such as Yusuf Dadoo and Joe Slovo, Firsť's future husband. She also served as a secretary to the Young Communist League of South Africa (YCLSA) and, for a brief time the Johannesburg branch of the CPSA. First also used her journalistic talent to promote Communist politics, the class struggle and radical reform in South Africa. She was editor-in-chief of the progressive newspaper The Guardian' before it was banned by the apartheid government. In 1955, she became chief editor of 'Fighting Talk which supported the Congress Alliance. Ruth First remains a celebrated militant and hero of the growing SACP and YCLSA. Through her life and her struggle, she demonstrated the fundamental connection between the fight for socialism and the struggle for racial equality. Despite the constant threats to her life and freedom she was unwavering in her commitment to the anti-apartheid struggle, Ruth First is a true inspiration to working people the world over. ➡️➡️➡️YCL.org.uk/2019/02/19/international-womens-day-ruth-first
Our the legend of the international Communist movement is Alexandra Kollontai, Bolshevik, theorist and Soviet diplomat. Alexandra Kollontai (1872-1952) was a revolutionary, an author, a diplomat, an agitator and an organiser whose ideals still hold true today. Although Kollontai herself was born into the aristocracy, she was raised at time where she was surrounded by people who lived in harsh and unfair conditions. A flame was lit inside her at an early age which yearned to fight against injustice Kollontai was pivotal in the creation of universal maternity care, ensuring women had the same equal access to educational opportunities as men and ensuring that women were treated as equals in the paid labour force. From its inception the Soviet Union sought to liberate women and had one of the most advanced agendas of its time and Kollontai played a vital role in the shaping of Communist policies. Kollontai remains a key figure for all of those who consider themselvess Marxist-feminists and her writings on prostitution, sexual liberation, family and organising inform our world outlook today. Read more about her here: ➡️➡️➡️www.ycl.org.uk/international-womens-day-2019-alexandra-kollontai/
As part of a month long build up to International Women's Day Celebrations on the 8th of March, the YCL will be publishing daily articles highlighting the exemplary role played by women in the international communist & working class movement. ✊🌍 In today’s post, we discuss the life and work of Mariella Castro Espin, Cuban LGBT rights campaigner and daughter of Raul Castro and Vilma Espin- heroes of the Cuban Revolution. #️⃣🔟 🇨🇺🏳️‍🌈 Mariella Castro (1962) was born when the Cuban Revolution was in its infancy, as she grew up she witnessed, first hand, the successes of the Revolution. When she was born in 1962, her mother was President of the Federation of Cuban Women- an organisation whose principal aim is to further develop equality between men and women and to encourage the mobilization of women into political work and into the wider economy. Cuba has acknowledged failures of the past to acknowledge and develop the rights of the LGBT community. Fidel Castro, in 2013 personally took responsibility for this and said that the persecution of the LGBT Community was “a great injustice”. Mariella Castro has been influential in advancing the rights of those in modern day Cuba. As director of The National Centre for Sex Education (CENESEX) Castro has worked tirelessly to advocate for tolerance of the LGBT community on the island. In 2013, Castro was elected deputy to the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, where she has again used her position to influence the politics of the chamber in support of greater LGBT rights. Under the current constitutional reform process, same-sex marriage is being considered. The National Assembly and Mariela Castro have stated that same-sex marriage will be legalised through a Family Code amendment which expected soon. The work of Castro over the last few decades reminds us that the struggle for socialism must always go hand in hand with the advance of LGBT rights and liberation. ➡️➡️➡️ YCL.org.uk/2019/02/17/international-womens-day-2019-mariella-castro
For the second time in two weeks we have seen Marx’s grave attacked and vandalised in London. Whilst we are more concerned with the tangible impact of Marx’s work, we cannot sit idly by while anti-communists attack the graves of those that inspire us. This attack is an indication of Marx’s resurgence in influence across Britain and across the globe- we are on the march again. The YCL unequivocally condemns the act of those who seek to fight against us but are too weak to carry out these acts in person. In recent years we have seen fascists and anti-communists grow in confidence- we must unite across the Labour Movement to ensure that the confidence, which acts like this will inspire, is quelled before it can fully develop. We will fight fascism wherever it rears its ugly head, whether this is in Highgate Cemetery, our workplaces or the football terraces. More than this, we must continue to use the teachings of Marx, among others, to continue our campaigning in unions, anti-fascist organisations and solidarity groups. Yes to carrying on the teachings of Marx. No to anti-communism. ✊🚩
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