James Padmore, elected unopposed to the executive of Communist Students, has sent this letter:

I was unable to attend the Communist Students conference in December but, based on the report in the Weekly Worker, it seems that it will be politically defined according to the particular shibboleths of the CPGB, including opposition to the theory of the state, as summarised in Lenin’s State and revolution.

For example, we have Mark Fischer arguing that both Lenin and Trotsky “misrepresented the dictatorship of the proletariat”. As Mark will remember, the Eurocommunists argued something similar before rejecting the very concept of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Perhaps this is where the CPGB will soon find itself?

I have decided not to take up a place on the Communist Students executive.

Jim Padmore
Leeds