John Foster
John Foster is a leader of the Communist Party of Britain. He is secretary of the Marx Memorial Library and has taught at the universities of Strathclyde and the West of Scotland.
Red Paper Collective
The Labour Movement Alternative for Radical Constitutional Change.
Members of the Red Paper Collective: Pauline Bryan, Jackson Cullinane, Neil Findlay MSP, John Foster, Tommy Kane, Richard Leonard, Stephen Low, Alan Mackinnon, Jennifer McCarey, Vince Mills, Tom Morrison, Stephen Smellie, Dave Watson.
"Independence in the EU"
Morning Star meeting "Independence in the EU or a third option—Full Home Rule Powers", November 2022. Chair Jess Galloway. Speakers: Vince Mills and Michael MacNeil. (Organised by Govan and South West Morning Star Supporters. Audience included Barry McAreavey, Gordon Scobie, Arthur West, Phil McGarry, John Foster, Danny O'Neill, Iain Trotter. [1]
"Our Class, Our Culture"
John Foster, Thomas Morrison, Jennifer McCarey, Peter Oneill, Janet Cassidy, Alan Grant, Keith Stoddart, Councillor Joe Cullinane.
Govan comrades
Govan Communist Party comrades Thomas Morrison, Brenda Graham, John Foster, Frank Casey, Angela Rae.
"Safe Schools Safe Workplaces"
Laura Briggs, John Foster, Gawain Little, Helen O'Connor.
Centenary conference
Communist Party of Britain centenary conference August 1, 2020
EU imperialism and austerity
- Chair and Speakers: Robert Griffiths Communist Party of Britain general secretary
- John Foster International secretary Communist Party of Britain
- Laura Briggs Member of the National Education Union, Lancashire
- Sandra Pereira Member of European Parliament Portuguese Communist Party
- Moz Greenshields Member of Derby Trades Council
- Eugene McCartan General secretary Communist Party of Ireland
Participants included Max Van de Poll Young Communist League of Britain - Brighton, Hank Roberts, Robert Wilkinson, Pam Pink, Marc Bilbao-Asensio, Malcolm Wallace, John Foster, Dina Groden, Diane Randall, Steve, Javier Vivo, Michael Allan, Steve Arloff, Andrew Maybury, Marian Carty, Brent Cutler, Calvin Tucker, Mike Hallinan.[2]
Leadership
- Marx Memorial Library Trustees 2020.
- Harsev Bains
- Mary Davis
- Ann Field
- John Foster
- Alexander Gordon
- John Hendy
- Marjorie Mayo
- Bruni De La Motte
- James Mowatt
- Jane Rosen
- Claudia Webbe
- Jonathan White
- Richard Clarke[3]
China talks
In a high-level meeting at the beginning of June 2021 , leading Communists from China and Britain spent more than two hours discussing Marxism past, present and future.
The online talks took place at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its Vice-Minister Guo Yezhou. The Communist Party of Britain was represented by General Secretary Robert Griffiths, Chair Liz Payne, International Secretary John Foster and Political Committee member Ben Chacko.
The focus of discussion was on the prime importance of Marxism for the development of the political practice of both parties.
Vice-Minister Guo stressed the commitment of the CPC to the development of Marxist theory and practice in the concrete circumstances of China over the past century. He outlined the broad popular alliances formed by the CPC, under the leadership of Mao Zedong, in order to defeat both Japanese fascism and the internal forces of reaction and imperialist control.
The creation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 was the outcome of these mass popular struggles combining the strength of workers, peasants and sections of the anti-imperialist bourgeoisie. Mao creatively integrated Marxism with the realities of Chinese society, Vice-Minister Guo explained.
Vice Minister Guo also stressed that it was during the 11th Central Committee of the CPC in 1978 that Comrade Deng Xiaoping initiated the ‘reform and opening up’ strategy of market socialism to transform economic development.
These new guidelines ultimately ensured that China’s industrialisation was completed, absolute poverty eliminated and a moderately prosperous socialist society created.
In the new century, President Xi Jinping has sought to renew Marxism for a new era so that, by 2050, China becomes a prosperous, developed modern socialist society. Vice Minister Guo stressed the CPC’s commitment to Marxism, to the achievement of socialism and ultimately to the development of a communist society.[4]
Communist internationalism
Communist Party of Britain attendance was organised for the International Meetings of Communist and Workers Parties in Ecuador in 2014 (Nick Wright), Turkey in 2015 (Liz Payne and John Foster) and Vietnam in 2016 (Robert Griffiths). The Party was represented at the following international events: PSUC Congress, Catalonia 2015 (Leo Impett), AKEL Congress, Cyprus 2015 (Ben Stevenson), DKP rally at Rosa Luxemburg Conference, Germany 2016 (addressed by Robert Griffiths) PCF Congress, France 2016 (Robert Griffiths), Avante! Festivals, Portugal (Steve Johnson and Nigel Green 2015 and 2016, and Robert Griffiths in 2016 who addressed a meeting on Brexit), Portuguese Communist Party Conference on EU, Portugal 2016 (addressed by Liz Payne), Unsere Zeit, Germany 2016 (Ben Stevenson and Keith Barlow) and l'Humanite 2015 (Ben Chacko and Ben Stevenson).[5]
2019 CPB Executive Committee
Liz Payne chair, Ruth Styles vice chair, Robert Griffiths Gen Sec. Andy Bain TU organizer, John Foster Int'l Sec, Carol Stavris women's organizer. Martin Levy is editor of Communist Review.
New Political Committee is Payne, Griffiths, Bain, Foster, Stavris, Ben Chacko, Steve Johnson, Tony Conway, as standing members and Mollie Brown and Alex Gordon as Alternates.
2014 CPB Executive Committee
Andy Bain, Ben Chacko, Andy Chaffer, Tony Conway, John Foster, Pauline Fraser, Alex Gordon, Moz Greenshields, Bill Greenshields, Robert Griffiths, Tim Gulliver, Anita Halpin, Zoe Hennessy, Steve Johnson, Bernadette Keaveney, Thomas Kirby, Eleanor Lakew, Martin Levy, Peter Middleman, Tommy Morrison, Mark O'Neill, Liz Payne, Ben Stevenson, Graham Stevenson, Joanne Stevenson, Ruth Styles, Anita Wright, Nick Wright.[6]
Govan comrades
Govan Communist Party comrades Keith Stoddart, John Foster. Photo from Stephen Spence.
"Building an economy for the people"
"Building an economy for the people" was a 2012 Communist Party of Britain publication.
"An alternative economic and political strategy for 21st Century Britain".
Edited by Jonathan White.
Contributions from: Mark Baimbridge; Brian Burkitt; Mary Davis; John Foster; Marj Mayo; Jonathan Michie; Seumas Milne; Andrew Murray; Roger Seifert; Prem Sikka; Jonathan White and Philip Whyman.
CPB executive committee
In 2008 the Communist Party of Britain executive committee consisted of Carol Turner, Ivan Beavis, Geoff Bottoms, Mary Davis, John Foster, Pauline Fraser, Bill Greenshields, Robert Griffiths, Anita Halpin, Kevin Halpin, John Haylett, Joel Heyes, Steve Johnson, Carolyn Jones, Martin Levy, Gawain Little, Alan MacKinnon, Emily Mann, Tommy Morrison, Andrew Murray, Rick Newnham, Ben Stevenson, Graham Stevenson, Carol Turner and Anita Wright.[7]
In the mid 1990s Mary Davis and Ivan Beavis were voted on to the Communist Party of Britain EC despite not being on the recommended list.
CPB Commissions
In 2016 the Communist Party of Britain EC endorsed the following Commission convenors who subsequently took up their positions: Mark O'Neill (Anti-austerity & People’s Charter), Tony Conway (Anti-Racism Anti-Fascism), Mike Quille (Culture), Chris Guiton (Economics), Robert Wilkinson (Education), Robert Wilkinson (Anti-EU & Popular Sovereignty), Graham Stevenson (Communist History Group), John Foster (International), Bill Greenshields (Political Education & Cadre Development), Joanne Stevenson (Peace), Tommy Morrison (Unemployment), Liz Payne (Women).[8]
International Commission
In 2015 the Communist Party of Britain’s International Commission met seven times with an average attendance of 8. Special sessions were held on Cuba and Latin America, the Middle East and Venezuela. The Commission produced briefing notes on Ukraine, Palestine, Syria and TTIP that were periodically updated and was responsible for four publications: The New Scramble for Africa (ed. Alan MacKinnon), Imperialism and the Middle East (ed. Navid Shomali and John Foster and published by the Morning Star), The EU Deconstructed (ed. Nick Wright and published by Manifesto Press) and China: Current Trends (Kenny Coyle).[9]
Leave – Fight – Transform
Founding signatories on the Founding Statement of the Communist Party of Britain led Leave – Fight – Transform: The LeFT Campaign included John Foster (University of the West of Scotland and ROSE).
No2EU candidates
No2EU candidates in Scotland in 2014 were John Foster, Andrew Elliot, Murdo Maclean, Gail Morrow, Brian Smith, Ritchie Veitch.
No2EU candidates in Scotland in 2009 were John Foster, Tommy Sheridan, Leah Ganley, Stuart Hyslop, Ajit Singh Uppal, Thomas Morrison.
"Red Lives"
The editors, Simon Meddick, Liz Payne and Phil Katz would like to express our thanks to all the contributors to this volume of Red Lives, who have given their time and work freely in the interests of ensuring these personal histories could be shared to inspire others.
Personal recollections and connections have been the principal source for the writers of these biographies, which makes this collection so special. Therefore our thanks go to: Kolya Abramsky, Bill Adam, Mary Aldridge, Brian Allbutt, Arthur Attwood, Meic Birtwistle, Annie Banham, Martin Brown, John Campbell, Colin Carritt, Jennie Chesterton, Joe Clark, Tony Conway, Andy Croft, Mary Davis, Lesley Discum, Megan Dobney, Lorraine Douglas, Paul Dunn, John Ellison, Dan Evans, Ann Field, John Foster, John Fox, Susan Galloway, Tom Gill, Alex Gordon, Bill Greenshields, Robert Griffiths, Liane Groves, Anita Halpin, Jonathan Havard, David Horsley, Pat Jay, Ben Jay, Cad Jones, Roger Jones, Meirian Jump, Chris Kaufman, Phil Katz, Ken Keable, George Kerr, Tam Kirby, Peter Lazenby, Martin Levy, Eleanor Lewington, Alex Maxwell, Rosie McGregor, Bevis Miller, Laura Miller, Tommy Morrison, Kevan Nelson, Cynthia Oughton, Liz Payne, Mike Pentelow Evan Pritchard, Mike Quille, Neil Rafeek, Ruth Rickman-Williams, Jane Rosen, Jane Scott, Tom Sibley, Dr. Mike Squires, Carol Stavris, Dave Stavris Graham Stevenson, Keith Stoddart, Robert Streader, Ruth Styles, The Vale of Leven History Project, Mike Vine, Michael Walker, Lynne Walsh, Robert Wilkinson, Jim Whyte, Tanya Wills, Anita Wright, Nick Wright.
Communist University 2009
Economic Crisis - the Sunset for Capitalism?
Editorial Board 2009
Communist Review Editorial Board 2009.
Straight Left/CPGB
However, a significant part of the faction felt that the BRS was ‘reformist’ and ‘revisionist’ in all its guises from 1951, counter-posing a revolutionary path to the parliamentary road to socialism envisaged in the CPGB’s existing programme. This stance was clouded in ambiguity in many sections of the CPGB’s left, with the default position usually being expressed in a preference for the 1951 version of the BRS overseen by Stalin, as opposed to later versions modified by a ‘revisionist’ CPGB leadership. This opposition suffered a major split in the run-up to the CPGB’s 1977 congress, with Sid French taking away 700 or so supporters to form the New Communist Party of Great Britain (after French realised that the CPGB’s leadership was intent on a reorganisation of his Surrey district, which would have deprived him of his organisational bridgehead). The rump left opposition in the CPGB coalesced around Fergus Nicholson (other key figures were John Foster, Brian Filling, Nick Wright, Susan Michie, Pat Turnbull and Andrew Murray) who had been the CPGB’s student organiser until 1974.