A Spotters Guide to the Far Left
The natural reaction to any writing on Britain's far left is “why bother?” The United Kingdom’s socialist parties are tiny; the largest have memberships in the low thousands. Even bringing up the role of communists in modern society seems faintly paranoid, as if you’re one step away from Illuminati and Lizardmen.
But the far left does matter. Ideas that were confined to this fringe a decade ago are pushing their way into the mainstream. Current and former members of leftist factions hold leading roles in unions, education, NGOs, campaign groups, and until very recently the Labour Party. The civil society’s hollow core has allowed small groups to leverage their organisation and ideological unity into real influence. Periodic bursts of public outrage (the Poll Tax, the Iraq War, Student Fees, BLM) provide huge opportunities for those ready to take advantage. Entrysim1 and organisation has resulted in huge over representation in these key policy making positions.
This post is intended to provide a field guide to the various parties currently active on the far left. The vast number of similarly named factions is extremely confusing on first encounter; this guide may help the reader distinguish them.
I have divided the entries into three sections, loosely grouped by ideology: The Communists, The Trots, and The Rest. In the simplest of terms, the Trots think the Russian Revolution went completely astray in the 1920s; the Communists support that legacy.
The Communists
This parties in this section derive a significant amount of their ideology and pedigree from the communist states of the Cold War. They can be quickly distinguished from the Trots by their by their tendency to support China, North Korea, and (just as a matter of habit) Russia. They are likely to have the word “Communist” in their name; they are likely to be less liberal on (and just less interested in) social issues. Within this grouping the main differences are on Stalin – most followed the official party line when he was denounced by Khrushchev in 1956, while others still think Kamenev and the Killer Doctors really had it coming.
A brief history lesson: the Communist Party of Great Britain, established in 1920, was the “official”, USSR aligned communist party in the UK. It spawned countless identically named splinter groups, before eventually collapsing with the fall of the Soviet Union. The legal successor to the Moscow backed party (and their assets) went through various iterations and mergers before ending up, hilariously, as the Lib Dem-led Unlock Democracy, which campaigns for electoral reform.
Communist Party of Britain
A close heir to the original, USSR backing Communist Party of Great Britain. Inherited much of that party’s membership and ideology; suitable for those seeking full-fat, North Korea backing soviet socialism. While almost every party listed here has some sort of paper, the CPB is unique in its ties to a national daily, the Morning Star. Denounced by other sects for megalomania, backing Brexit and lacking sufficient enthusiasm on trans matters. One of the bigger parties listed here. Notable Members: Andrew Murray (Advisor to Jeremy Corbyn; Chair of Stop the War Coalition; Chief of Staff to Unite the Union); Kate Hudson (General Secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament); Susan Michie (member of SAGE).
AKA: CPB
Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
Communist Party of Britain - Marxist-Leninist
Split off the Communist Party of Great Britain over Khrushchev’s betrayal of the Stalinist dream. Anti Scottish independence, anti immigration, anti EU (which amusingly saw them cooperate with Grassroots Out, along with the likes of Peter Bone and Nigel Farage). Very small. Roy Greenslade was a member.
AKA: CPGB-ML
Ideology: Maoist
Trying to sell you a copy of: Workers
Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist Leninist)
If you think the names are getting confusing now, just wait until we get to the socialists. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this party is their honorary president: the 107 year old Isabel Crook, who was already 35 when she trained soldiers during the Korean War. This level of judgement in foreign policy matters has extended into the 21st century, and the CPGB-ML are backing the invasion of Ukraine. Particularly pro-China and pro-Russia. If someone mentions a member of the Brar family, this is who you are dealing with.
AKA: CPGB-ML, “The Communists”
Ideology: Stalinist
Trying to sell you a copy of: Proletarian
Communist Party of Great Britain (PCC)
Adopted the name of the OG Communist Party when it collapsed in 1991. This seems to be a particular source of annoyance to rival parties, who presumably wish they’d gotten in their first. Perennially attempting to work with and falling out with other tiny parties. Until very recently, their party programme called for the abolition of age of consent laws and decriminalisation of all consensual sexual activity. Less keen on the Soviet Union than the other similarly named parties, and more preoccupied with Israel and Iran.
AKA: CPGB Provisional Central Committee
Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
Trying to sell you a copy of: Weekly Worker
New Communist Party of Britain
Split off the CPGB due to their backsliding on Stalin. Unusual in their fairly consistent calls to vote Labour in every election. Tiny, ageing membership.
AKA: NCP, NCPB
Ideology: Stalinist
Trying to sell you a copy of: The New Worker
Revolutionary Communist Group
One of the more active bands of newspaper floggers. Seems to be particularly busy at the moment, perhaps due to their core message of “infinity migrants” being on trend in 2023. Spends a lot (A Lot) of time talking about Cuba. Tends to operate in the streets and student unions under the name “Fight Racism, Fight Imperialism”. Had a split in 2018 over the handling of sex abuse allegations. Amusingly, Spiked originates in a faction which broke off from the RCG.
AKA: RCG
Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
Trying to sell you a copy of: Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!
Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Maxists Leninist)
Some parties emerged out of the Sino-Soviet split; the RCPB-ML came out of the Sino-Albanian split. We are truly getting into the weeds of Marxist history now. Seems to be ageing out of existence, but still has an office and bookshop (the John Buckle Centre) next to a chip shop in Nine Elms.
AKA: RCPBML, RCPB (M-L)
Ideology: Hoxhaist?
Trying to sell you a copy of: Workers Daily
Socialist Action
The red Freemasons. A secretive club with a reputation for entryism. You won’t find them selling newspapers outside Primark. Gained influence in 2000 supporting Ken Livingstone’s run for Mayor of London, and in 2015 supporting Corbyn as Labour Leader. Big fans of Russia and China. In a running feud with Paul Mason. Alleged to be behind Student Broad Left/Liberation Left.
AKA: SA
Ideology: Dengist (joking (not joking))
Trying to sell you a copy of: they communicate their policy by secret handshake
Workers Party of Britian
The latest vessel for George Galloway’s political ambitions. Its key policies are whatever GG happened to be thinking about that morning. Had ties with, and shared a deputy leader with, the CPGB-ML (seems they may have fallen out recently).
AKA: WPB
Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
The Trots
If you want to support communism without the burden of trying to defend actually existing socialist states, Trotskyism might be the ideology for you. In the simplest terms, these parties hold that the Russian revolution was betrayed by Stalin, and that Trotsky was the true heir to Lenin. The Trotskyite factions are generally more interested in social issues, talk more about “freedom” in their slogans, and are more preoccupied with international matters. This attitude does not extend to their own internal organising, which is every bit as ruthless and top down as the Communists. If you are encounter a group with “Workers” or “Socialist” in the name, this is probably who you are talking to.
Socialist Workers Party
The Japanese Knotweed of the far left. So adept at entryism it is sometimes hard to tell which organisations are actual fronts, and which are just mostly run by SWP members. Groups known to be particularly associated: Unite Against Fascism, Love Music Hate Racism, Stand Up To Racism, Stop the War Coalition. One favoured strategy is giving out thousands of SWP branded placards at unrelated protests. Organises the annual Marxism [insert year here] conference which attracts the who’s who of the far left (if you live near a university, look out for Marxism 202X posters around early summer). Still hasn’t recovered organisationally or reputationly from the “Comrade Delta” incident a decade ago. A senior member was accused of rape; rather than reporting this police, the SWP set up their own grim kangeroo court to investigate (and dismiss) the matter. Their manner of organising – “Democratic Centralism” – is heavy on the Centralism, light on the democracy. This seems to be the main reason so many right wing journalists have articles about “I was in the SWP at university, you know”.
AKA: SWP
Trying to sell you a copy of: Socialist Worker
RS21
Split off the SWP over the “Comrade Delta” sex abuse scandal (see above), and organisationally shaped by the aftermath of that incident. Ideologically similar to the SWP, but being younger, better at graphic design and woker on social issues.
AKA: Revolutionary Socialism in the 21st Century
Counterfire
SWP splinter group, very similar in style to RS21. Set up by the ex-boss of the Stop the War Coalition after losing a factional feud within the SWP. Seems quite similar to RS21 and naturally the two groups resent each other. The only difference seems to be where they come down on This Trans Business.
Alliance for Workers Liberty
A slightly more libertarian group. It has been proscribed by the Labour Party for entryism twice (in 2022, and in an older form in 1990). Membership estimated at around 140 in 2016. Amusingly, the AWL is occasionally accused of imperialism by other leftists due to perceived unsoundness on foreign policy matters (particularly as it pertains to the Middle East). Its membership threw itself behind the Corbyn project more vigorously than other groups listed here, and AWL actually deregistered with the electoral commision to pursue this. Several former members have gone on to bigger things, including Mark Serwotka, Gloria de Piero, and James Bloodworth.
AKA: AWL, Workers’ Liberty
Trying to sell you a copy of: Solidarity
Socialist Equality Party
Most distinguished by their link to the website wsws.org, which by traffic is the busiest page on the far left. Has links to other tiny and identically named parties in other countries. If you think factional disputes in the Russian Communist Party a century ago are key to understanding the politics of today, this is the party for you. Opposed to all border controls, but also opposed to Scottish and Welsh separatism. Defended the insurgents trying to kill western troops in the era of Iraq and Afghanistan.
AKA: SEP, the International Committee of the Fourth International
Socialist Party
Militant was, in the 80s and 90s, a Trotskyite entryist effort in the Labour Party. Something that is easily overlooked when discussing factionalism is that the right wing of the Labour Party are incredibly effective at bureaucratic wrangling and determined to see off their opponents. Militant lost the internal struggle and were duly purged. Having been booted out, Militant eventually rebranded itself as the Socialist Party. Attempted to reaffiliate with Labour in the Corbyn years, but memories in Labour are long and they were rejected.
AKA: SPEW, Militant
Trying to sell you a copy of: The Socialist
Socialist Alternative
A newish faction that split off from SPEW for reasons inscrutable to anyone who doesn’t have a degree in the history of the international Trotskyite movement. As befits a party established in 2019, it is big on trans rights and the only far left party I know to have an official TikTok.
Socialist Resistance
Tiny Trotskyite splinter group. Almost defunct under their own name, they set up a front named “Anti*Capitalist Resistance” with snazzier branding which hasn’t gathered much steam either.
AKA: SR, A*CR
Spartacist League
Microscopic and very wacky Trotskyite relic. Devotes much of its limited energy to complaining about other left-wing groups; said groups are happy to ignore the Spartacist League on the basis a) they are tiny and b) their principled opposition to age of consent laws.
Trying to sell you a copy of: Workers Hammer
Workers’ Fight
Quark scale grouplet, closely tied to a marginal French leftist party. Indulges in a style of Anti-Americanism which was pretty on trend two decades ago but is now quite dated.
Trying to sell you a copy of: Workers’ Fight
Workers Power
Completely undistinguished Trotskyite faction. One of the smaller ones. Dissolved itself to support the Corbyn project (as “Red Flag”), has reformed now that didn’t work out.
Trying to sell you a copy of: Workers Power
Workers Revolutionary Party
At one time, the WRP was the most notorious party on this list. Founded and lead for decades by Gerry Healy, a charismatic Irishman who gathered a cult following. In the seventies and eighties it attracted celebrities such as Vanessa Redgrave and funding from Colonel Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, various gulf states, and the PLO. Alas, things went pearshaped for the WRP when it turned out Healy was a deranged serial rapist. Four decades on, the WRP still hasn’t recovered from the fallout. They continue to run in elections, talk about Assange a lot, and for unfathomable reasons seem to do much better in recruiting ethnic minorities than the other parties listed here.
AKA: WRP
Trying to sell you a copy of: The News Line
The Rest
Socialist Labour Party
Set up by Arthur Scargill after Tonty Blair got going. Appropriately, it is obsesesed with the Miners’ Strike and is perhaps the only party listed here that calls for a return to coal mining. Had around 1,500 members at formation, now down to a few hundred at most. Occasionally picks up a councillor or ex-MP who has fallen out with the Labour Party for some reason.
Socialist Party of Great Britain
The oldest party on this list, pretty much in a category of its own. Orthodoxly Marxist, disavows the usual tactics of leftist parties, such as violent revolution, single issue campaigning, any sort of compromise or coalition. This strategy has yet to bear fruit in the past 119 years, but any day now boys. The quintessence of “True Socialist Has Never Been Tried”: thinks the Russian Revolution was already going wrong with Lenin. Has an office in a now-gentrified patch of Clapham High Street.
AKA: SPGB
Trying to sell you a copy of The Socialist Standard
Left Unity
In 2013, Ken Loach looked at the state of the Labour Party and concluded there was obviously no prospect for real left wingers to succeed there; the only way forward was a new party, a UKIP of the left. Left Unity is the result of this effort. Less ideologically coherent than the other parties here. Several of parties listed here involved themselves to some extent (if only to make sure their people were on top if it looked like it was going places). Never had more than a couple of thousand members, which dropped precipitously once Corbyn showed up.
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
It may have occurred to you, reading this article, that perhaps these countless tiny parties could accomplish more if they put aside their minute ideological disagreements and tried to cooperate. It occurs to these parties too sometimes, and the result of that is TUSC. Different from Left Unity in that it is very much an electoral coalition rather than a true political party, and also different in the involvement of trade unions which had fallen out with Labour. The Socialist Party, Communist Party Britain, SWP, Socialist Resistance, the Workers Party of Britain and several unions all had some involvement at some point. Failed to achieve any of the success it had hoped for; recently tried to join another electoral alliance called the “People’s Alliance of the Left” with Left Unity and the Northern Independence Party (remember them?!?) but fell out fairly quickly.
Class War
A very tiny anarchist group notable only for their unpleasant tactics (crude language, direct harassment of perceived enemies, threatening to kill the rich, and so on). Disbanded in the eighties and revived again in 2010. Known for protests against gentrification in London (remember the Cereal Killer Cafe? The Poor Door protests? Simpler times). Easily spotted at protests: look for a handful of dumpy types dressed in black holding a sign designed to piss everyone else off.
What does this look like in practice? Imagine: the residents of Townsville are outraged by the Current Thing. At the inaugural meeting of Townsville Residents Against the Current Thing (TRACT), scores of ordinary people turn up to discuss what is to be done. Among them is a dozen or so activists from whichever communist faction. A committee is elected to help organise TRACT’s activities. Without mentioning their affiliation, the local communists stand for the committee. They’ve spoken in public before, and seem to know a thing or two about politics, which appeals to those attendees who have never seen them before. The communists all vote en bloc for their guys, and TRACT is set up with enough party members on the committee to make sure it lines up with their ideology.