19.09.2001

New PCC elected

At the instigation of the Party leadership, CPGB members elected a new Provisional Central Committee at the September 16 aggregate.

Introducing the election process, comrade John Bridge said the PCC is small in number but adequate for its tasks in the immediate period ahead. CPGB membership is increasing, and the circulation and impact of the Weekly Worker is steadily growing. Whereas in the 1990s we had been concerned to preserve our organisation, we can now look forward to a period of relative advance. The moves towards unity represented by the Socialist Alliance in particular opened up new opportunities and it was essential that we were equipped with a leadership that could meet this new challenge.

Comrade Bridge stated that outgoing PCC members Stan Kelsey and Anne Mc Shane had, because of personal circumstances, been unable to devote as much time as the situation demanded to their Party work. Neither sought re-election. Comrade Bridge thanked them for their years of work on the PCC, and emphasised that they will remain highly valued members of the Party. Both were present and took part in the vote for the new PCC.

On behalf of the outgoing committee, comrade Bridge proposed comrade Tina Becker as a candidate member. Since being promoted to a position of substantial responsibility, he said, she has demonstrated outstanding energy, commitment, organisational skill and technical ability, and done excellent work for the Party in many different ways. However, comrade Bridge argued that comrade Becker?s political judgement had not yet developed to the extent necessary for a full PCC member and proposed that she should therefore take her place initially as a candidate member, without voting rights.

Several speakers in the debate argued that Tina Becker should become a full - ie, voting -member straightaway, and an amendment proposing this received the votes of around a quarter of the members present. The aggregate then elected comrade Becker as a candidate member of the PCC by an overwhelming majority. There was one abstention and no votes against.

Some comrades observed that the editor of the Weekly Worker ought also to sit on the PCC, but comrade Peter Manson said he is unable to commit the time for this at present. Comrades John Bridge, Mark Fischer and Marcus Larsen were each re-elected as full members of the PCC by unanimous votes of the members present.