Hedd – Ysgrifennydd Cyffredinol

“In Merthyr Tydfil in 1831, the prehistory of the Welsh working class comes to an end. Its history begins.” Gwyn Alf Williams

There is no better place in Wales for Plaid Gomiwnyddol Cymru to hold our 1st Cyngrys, one year after our formation, three months into our public existence, than Merthyr Tydfil – the home of the red flag. Spread over two days, on the 31st of August we focused on the democratic shaping of y Blaid, and on the 1st of September we focused on history, with a tour of Merthyr and the Rising, on sport and activity, through reviving the Welsh game Cnapan, and through socialising, by sitting down and eating together, collectively.

I want to thank each and every cymrawd. Those who wrote motions, wrote amendments, those who provided constant feedback, and to all, as each turned up prepared and with points to raise. I want to thank in particular the following cymrodyr; Siared, who wrote the draft of our adopted Constitution. It was constantly shaped by the input of all members, but in the background was Siared, implementing our members’ views and ensuring we had a thorough understanding. 

Joe, who planned many of our social activities over the weekend. Equal parts historian and comedian, through Joe we learnt more of our working class history and shared in laughter. 

Finally, Owain ab Owain, who I must congratulate on being elected Cadeirydd Plaid! 

Day One

As a Cyngrys, it was a resounding success! On the democratic front, barely any motion passed or failed by a block vote either way, a variety of views were exchanged, and we are united around the final decisions. Motions ranged from vital ones on our constitution, to how to organise commemoration of important working class events in Wales, and deepening our Marxist investigation of the material conditions in Wales. We also held two large discussion motions, the first was on the Welsh Underground Network and the development of our relationship. We have deep and comradely links with the Welsh Underground Network, in fact they are our brawdol, but it is only through active engagement and the generation of fresh ideas that these links stay true and real, not just words on a piece of paper. The other was on our Dogfen Ideologol 1831, a piece of research which provides a Marxist analysis of Wales, where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where y Blaid is going. It was agreed that further development of this piece was needed, however we are confident that within months this will be a ratified final piece. Such is the nature of democracy, it was agreed that the Dogfen was needed, however it would not be democratic for us to vote on it without deeper investigation, as that is the will of y Blaid.

We were incredibly pleased to have delegations from two organisations with us, we were joined by our comrades in the Connolly Youth Movement from Ireland, and our comrades in the Welsh Underground Network, the Welsh Socialist-Republican mass movement. Both of these organisations hold deep meaning for us, with the Connolly Youth Movement, we share an ideological inspiration in James Connolly, the Irish Socialist-Republican, and the Connolly Youth Movement have played a constant role in our development. They provide an inspiration for internationalism, not just fighting within their own nation, but inspiring and aiding the development of communists in others. We will embed this, aiding comrades anywhere that look to us for solidarity, advice or inspiration in the years to come.

The Welsh Underground Network sent along a delegate, who ensured that their voice was heard through the Cyngrys. She provided important context, highlighting how the WUN could work alongside y Blaid, ways in which our work can be integrated into the work of the WUN, and grounding us in the reality of Wales today. As our Ysgriffenydd Cyffredinol, Hedd, said of the Welsh Underground Network in their opening address to the Cyngrys – “There is only one movement in Wales that could have created us, and that is you”. 

It is not only right that we heard from these two movements throughout the day, but practically useful. From the experiences of our comrades in Ireland, we learnt how to avoid mistakes they have made, in return we promise to make new mistakes so they don’t have to make them! The Welsh Underground Network reminds us of where we came from, and how a movement like us exists – through the people, through the working class directly. To lose sight of this would be to fade to irrelevance, to be a talking shop in the fringes, occasionally posting statements which only arouse the interest of the ‘trainspotters’ of the left-wing movement.

Finally, we had a letter of support from our comrade Dr. Derek Wall, a well-known eco-socialist and former leader of The Green Party.  He put it best by closing his letter of support by saying “Forward to the Welsh Socialist Republic!”.

“Dear Comrades,

On the occasion of the first congress of Plaid Gomiwnyddol Cymru, I am sending greetings of solidarity and congratulations. In Wales and a world marked by poverty, inequality, ecological destruction, racism, transphobia and other hatreds, you provide the inspiration that a communist future is not just possible but being actively built. There are many revolutionary organisations but you provide the example of how to build the base. Forward to the Welsh Socialist Republic!”

Day Two

We dedicated an entire day of Cyngrys to socialising, and activities. Too many events end with a pint in the pub, an unplanned but expected portion of the day – excluding those who don’t drink, can’t drink, or simply don’t want to! We insisted on sobriety on all Cyngrys events, and that included the social section too.

Firstly, why even have a social section? Our comrades have been brought together by a deep commitment to liberation, of the working class, of Wales, to all those across the world who are bound and constrained by oppression. But being brought together is the easy part, how to keep us together? We set out to bind us together through shared experiences, through laughter, through sweat and activity, through inspiration and seeing how we can make a real difference. When things get difficult and tiring, when the work we’re doing feels endless and tiny, the love and support of our cymrodyr will sustain us.

As for what we did, one cymrawd organised a pub quiz (again, sober), which focused on the history of Merthyr Tydfil, the working class in Wales, global socialist history, and on increasingly bizarre questions like “did I slip a bit of German into all my conversations today?” (the answer was no, but it threw us for a few minutes). We went on a walking tour of the sites of the Merthyr Rising, and one thing became clear – 1831 isn’t just a static point in history, it is a spirit which lives on in our members. We visited the Merthyr Synagogue, and we were told of the beginnings of the Valleys Underground, who organised the community restoration of the Synagogue, and how other buildings, all within 10 minutes of us, workmen’s halls, the hospital, churches, all had mysterious fires or had been left to the elements! Now, land developers are waiting for their walls to collapse so they can build car parks or expensive flats. We heard of the outright rejection of this, of how the Valleys Underground took control into their own hands and created a community campaign which asked for no permission to fix things. He pointed out the windows, all professionally boarded over to keep the elements out, apart from one right up in the middle which had a bit of scrap metal over it. He said how he climbed up there one night with a bit of scrap metal and secured the window, to ensure the Star of David in the window wouldn’t get smashed. The Merthyr Synagogue was the centre for one of the oldest Jewish communities in Wales, and through the Valleys Underground, the Jewish heritage has been preserved even as the Jewish population has shrank. 

From there, we went on a hike out of town, past the caves in the iron smelting furnaces that kids  used to drink in, to a field. On that field, we revived the Welsh ball game Cnapan, functionally extinct, fundamentally redundant as a sport in the face of football and rugby, but existing through us. Everything we do is about ownership, who owns our communities, our homes, our work, our lives, our culture? It should be us, the workers, but it isn’t, is it? Every act we make is about taking ownership and control again, fighting back against the soulless market which seeks to destroy all that isn’t profitable. 

So why not revive a sport? Maybe it hasn’t even been played in the 21st century, and now it has, by us! A field of working class communists, playing a game that they had to revive the rules to, and from the second the ball was in our hands, on our feet, on our pitch, it was wholly owned by us – as workers, as the Welsh. Functionally dead, fundamentally redundant, and no capitalist can take it from us.

A strange note to end our Cyngrys report on, but in the years to come will we remember the motions we voted on? Maybe, hopefully! But I know I will remember that field, that game, and my cymrodyr.

Please, read on and hear the inspiring speeches given throughout the day!

Speeches

Opening Address, by Hedd, Ysgrifennydd Cyffredinol 

Croeso i’n Cyngres, gymrodyr. Rwy’n falch o fod ymhlith ffrindiau o bob rhan o Gymru a thramor, yn enwedig i’r cymrodyr Gwyddelig sy’n ymuno â ni o’r Connolly Youth Movement. Hoffwn estyn croeso arbennig i’n cymrodyr o Welsh Underground Network, ein chwaer sefydliad brawdol.Ymddiheuriadau am fy Nghymraeg, byddaf yn siarad yn Saesneg nawr.

In Merthyr Tydfil in 1831, the prehistory of the Welsh working class comes to an end. Its history began. We have entered that history, we are breaking new ground, and we are sure of our goal – the liberation of the working class in Wales, and the world. It was a year ago where we made that decision to embark on this project, as the extension and necessary step towards the construction of socialism within Wales. Let no one think that in that year, we have not done enough – we launched on the 1st of June, 2024, with a pamphlet on our core argument that there is one class and one cause that can liberate Wales and the Welsh, the working class and the socialist cause.

I want to extend a welcome to our comrade from the Welsh Underground Network, who has joined us as an official observer to our Cyngrys. There is only one movement in Wales that could have created us, and that is you, for as long as I am Ysgrifennydd Cyffredinol, I will ensure our bonds remain close. Every single party member here is a member of the Welsh Underground Network member, and I would not see this change. I encourage now and always the maximum engagement in our sister movement, and I will always state the importance of holding membership in both. So, welcome, and we look forward to your thoughts throughout the day on our developments.

I want to focus on our Irish comrades briefly, who visited us early last year and provided us with encouragement in our development. I cannot remember the exact quote they used, but the emphasis is this – there will never be a perfect moment to act, it will always be premature, all we can know is that if we don’t act now, who will in the future? So perhaps, we acted in haste, we acted too soon, but what does that matter? We could wait and wait and wait, and see the perfect moment pass us by without realising!

In my mind, we were inevitable – we had to be, we are the conclusion of a stage of ideological development here in Wales, and the beginning of another stage. We build on a great legacy, and we build over a chasm filled with the mistakes made by those who came before. Would we be here today if it was not for the Communist Party of Great Britain, as sour of a thought as that may be? I won’t stand here and use my time to denounce long-dead Communists and their mistakes, as we have identified the errors in the Dogfen Ideologol 1831 and I look forward to a discussion around that later. Would we not be here if not for the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement, who existed in a burst of flame and were snuffed out by the state? The legacy of their work lives on in us, even if some of their former members have abandoned the Socialist-Republican cause in favour of being the left-wing of the Labour Party! We carry the legacy of Cymru Goch with us, even if their former members denounce us as Stalinist litterpickers!

The point is, we are the conclusion of all these movements and of more, each and every one of these movements failed for various reasons, we exist and thrive through our understanding of failure and our ability to move beyond them. If we are to fail, let no one say we failed by replicating past mistakes! Let whoever comes next learn from us and succeed from our ashes, should we fail!

Back to our comrades from the Connolly Youth Movement, we could perhaps joke that we are the bastard children of the Irish, but there is a nugget of truth here! Our inspiration and ideological root stems from your namesake, James Connolly. Our organisation is born of the Welsh Underground Network, who are proudly and openly inspired by yourselves in Ireland. In fact, Valleys Underground was only launched after an invigorating discussion with a member of the Connolly Youth Movement, it inspired our comrade Joe to take direct action against capitalism in Wales, right here in Merthyr, and here we are today!

So we say to the Irish, we are not only your comrades through the bonds of socialism and Marxist-Leninism, but we are your comrades as anti-imperialists, and for as long as we exist – the cause of Ireland will exist in Wales. Our fight for a sovereign Socialist Republic of Wales exists as an ally to the fight for a sovereign Socialist Republic of Ireland, we strike at the core of British imperialism, the system which colonises and occupies Ireland today.

Our internationalism starts with Ireland, and I believe this to be true even if we had no friends and comrades there. British imperialism sits at the heart of the contradiction here, the British state IS our enemy and we WILL abolish it. We share a common goal, a common enemy, and this is where our internationalism builds from. Who else around the world suffers from British military occupation? In places such as Kenya, in Oman, in Cyprus, crimes are committed by British soldiers against the local people, crimes which go unpunished and swept under the rug – despite the outcries of the people for justice!

Our internationalism leads us to be an ally to these people, as we do not seek a world where the British system is allowed to continue with Wales outside of it, we can and will only succeed with the destruction of this system! 

Our internationalism leads us to be an ally to the planet itself, as not only do British soldiers commit horrific crimes against people, but the British military commit crimes against nature, such as the testing of white phosphorus in Kenya, a poisonous and criminal weapon that we see being used against the people of Palestine and Lebanon today. 

Our internationalism leads us to be an ally to the fight for self-determination, the British military occupies the Chagos Islands, and has barred the native people from returning to their land, forcing them to live as exiles!

Why do I raise all of this? It is to embed this internationalism within ourselves and within Wales. Wales, a country where the British military occupies land for bases and has expelled the local people. Wales, a country where the British military tests their weapons, weapons which poison the land and waterways. Wales, where Helen Wyn Thomas came from, a woman murdered whilst protesting the stationing of American nuclear missiles at a British military base – murdered by a police officer.

Let no one say that we are not connected to the world, that we have no common cause with someone of another country, of another skin colour, of another culture! We are bound together through the chains of imperialism, and anti-imperialist action here in Wales, in Palestine, in Ireland, across the world, breaks the chain which constrains us all. 

To quote the Scottish communist John Maclaen “The British empire is the greatest menace to the human race… The best interest of humanity can therefore be served by the break-up of the British empire. The Irish, the Indians and others are playing their part. Why ought not the Scottish?”

Well why ought not the Welsh! Do we not have within us the ability to join this global fight? Must we act restrained, tethered to a moribund British communist party?! No! We have the right to self-determination, we have the right to fight imperialism, we have the right to form an association to fight for it, the right to form Plaid Gomiwnyddol Cymru.

I want to end by reflecting on where we are now. We are a year in our infancy, we have a number of applications who are ready to join us, so consider what they are joining. 

We may be viewed from the outside as a peculiarity, as a small-sect, there are certainly those who question why we exist – those who say we should hold our tongue and join a British communist party, and those who say we should not split the independence movement.  

I implore each and every one of you to not embed this within you! We are Plaid Gomiwnyddol Cymru, THE Communist Party of Wales, not ‘a’ communist party, ‘the’ party. In the years to come, this will be evident, but rot can begin from the inside should we ever view ourselves as less than we are.

So again, croeso i’n cyngrys, I look forward to the day, to hearing members’ thoughts on our motions, to hearing the debates and disagreements, to hammering out our kinks and sharpening our argument. Talk with respect, the respect due to comrades, and of our time. I know that each and every one of us have busy lives and work, and we fit this in wherever and whenever we can – so respect that and enjoy the day. 

I’d like to welcome our comrades from the Welsh Underground Network to the floor, then our comrades from the Connolly Youth Movement, then I’ll read a brief statement from our comrade, friend and longtime supporter Dr. Derek Wall, and then we’ll move onto the first vote of the day – the election of our Cadeirydd Plaid. 

Nora Rhiannon, delegate of the Welsh Underground Network

The land of Wales has been deeply scarred by the violent birth of capitalism and the savage age of imperialism. A quiet people of farmers and bards were dragged into the jaws of the British Empire, and we became England’s periphery – there to be exploited and dominated. The Empire’s mines and factories drained the blood of Welsh workers, the Empire’s slag heaps loomed over hungry Welsh children, and the Empire’s ideology suppressed our language. We were not solely innocent victims, of course: Welsh soldiers defended the Empire, Welsh governors administered it and Welsh politicians directed it. But Wales has also been a place of resistance and anti-imperialism: it was here in Merthyr where the red flag of a workers uprising was first flown. Here again in Merthyr I see people gathered together under that flag. Wales has had its own distinct place in the capitalist world, and so it is only fitting that we communists organise ourselves on a Welsh basis.

Over the past forty-five years of neoliberal rule and twenty-five years of devolution, Wales has seen its industries closed, services cut and communities gutted. We have watched in horror as, thanks to the neglect of the British Government, our language has declined, our environment has been polluted and our culture has been reduced to a tourist attraction. Everywhere you look in Wales you will find empty homes, abandoned buildings and damaged landscapes. Workers are given low wages for soulless jobs in exploitative industries, and forced to pay high rents for mouldy homes in left-behind towns. We’ve had enough. The bosses & politicians are eating Wales alive, and the Welsh Underground Network was founded as a way for workers to fight back.

Our project has been to build a mass movement of ordinary people united against capitalism, imperialism and the British State. To that end we have agitated for the preservation, reinvigoration and mobilisation of the working class in Wales. We are a collection of communists, anarchists and other socialist republicans from across the country, dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of our local communities. Through our work we have cultivated a reputation as reliable friends, people whose support can be counted on. In essence we do a kind of organised “propaganda of the deed”, hoping that our actions will ignite revolutionary spirit in others. I’m deeply proud of the work we have done rebuilding Welsh communities and forging international bonds of solidarity, but I know that this alone is not enough. Welsh Underground Network members founded the Communist Party of Wales because the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement needs focused, disciplined political leadership to succeed in its aims.

I believe in a revolution in our lifetimes, and I see the beginnings of that revolution here today. As a WUN member I am proud to be here as a witness and participant. Together we will fight to save the class & country we love, and we will win. It is time for the working class of Wales to stand up, grab the hammer of the communist party, and smash the British State.

Conor, delegate from the Connolly Youth Movement

A chairde Ceilteach agus comraidithe,

It is an honour to attend the first Cyngrys of the PGC, and to be doing so in Merthyr Tydfil – the birthplace of the red flag.

It is particularly an honour because of the deep connection that exists because of our two organisations. Indeed, I have went as far as to say that the PGC is a child of the CYM in some ways. A strange predicament for a youth organisation to be in, for sure. I recall being told by Joe that the inspiration for the Welsh Underground Network came from an interview with our previous General Secretary, Alex Homits. As a result of this interview, the South Wales Socialist News Service was transformed from an organisation reporting on activism, to one doing activism. Nor did it go amiss when the CYM’s definition of Democratic Centralism – which I had written – appeared word-for-word in the WUN’s constitution.

However, for those who do not know much about the Connolly Youth Movement I will give a brief summary of who we are, and some of our recent work and developments. Although the CYM has its origins in the 1960s, our current growth can be identified from 2018 onwards. Since then, we have disaffiliated from the Communist Party of Ireland, and are an independent Marxist-Leninist and Socialist-Republican youth organisation. This presents its own challenges, and has done so since 2021. Since then we have had to develop our own structures, refine our organisation, and clarify our ideological positions and approaches. These are all ongoing measures, and no doubt something some of your members will hopefully witness first hand at our own Ard Fheis next year.

Our work is both direct and indirect; we are heavily involved in Community Actions Tenants Union and the Independent Workers Union, we are also of course involved with BDS and other Palestine solidarity work, including fundraising for our fraternal comrades in the PCYU. Otherwise, the CYM engages in public political education through workshops, reading groups, film screenings, and Gaelic revivalism. We have been active in challenging the militarisation of Ireland – north and south – by disrupting recruitment, protesting the presence of imperialist armies, and disrupting attempts at normalising NATO. We have consistently been involved in a variety of anti-fascist work, sometimes at great personal risk, and which stands as a testament to the courage of our members. Of course, one of our lasting achievements so far is Connolly Barracks, which we have successfully occupied and defended for 7 years, making it the longest continuous squat in Ireland at present. We are of course, still learning and developing and there is undoubtedly a lot more work and progress we have to make.

Of course, our two organisations are far from the first Irish-Welsh political connection. Our own James Connolly was no stranger to Welsh affairs or the struggles of Welsh workers. He was a steadfast supporter of the Welsh miners as they resisted punishment and demanded fair wages. Of these miners – following a successful showdown with the British government during WW1 – Connolly said that they proved “that the only rebellious spirit left in the modern world is in the possession of those who have been accustomed to drop tools at a moments notice in defence of a victimised or unjustly punished comrade. The man who is prepared to lose his job in defence of a comrade is prepared to lose his life in the same or a greater cause, and out of such willingness to sacrifice the perfect fighting army of revolution may at any moment be fashioned.”

Of course it is known that it was in Wales that many of our veterans of 1916 were sent to Frongoch Prison Camp. Whilst here, the Irish Republicans made a point of friendship with the locals. When the rebels were first allowed to go on route marches outside the camp – under Army supervision – they made a point to whistle Land of My Fathers, and those who spoke Welsh would converse with the locals.

However, as communists and socialist-republicans our connection and unity goes far beyond individuals or century-old stories, and we are ultimately united by a shared vision for the future, rooted in a shared analysis of the present. It is ultimately this analysis which drives us to action. As such it is worth touching on some of the issues that we face as a result. Both our nations are faced with a resurgent fascist movement. This of course poses a physical threat to us and our allies, but also a dangerous distraction to those we seek to appeal to. We know that the real enemy is not refugees or migrants, but capitalists and landlords, and yet these same fascists – some of whom are landlords – seek to turn worker against worker on the basis of race.

We are both faced by the threat and reality of imperialist conflict and war; I know that your comrades have taken bold direct action against the war being waged on Palestine. Such wars pose a direct threat particularly to young workers, whose lives and futures are thrown away for profit. It is worth recalling that only a few months ago the Tories were proposing to bring back conscription. Something which no doubt would pose a risk to our young members if ever introduced.

Most significantly in our cases, is that we both are faced with a national question that we seek to resolve. This question is simultaneously a barrier to be overcome, and also signposts our own respective paths to socialism.

Given our proximity and shared issues, there is a great opportunity for deeper co-operation. This has already been agreed upon, and will no doubt be followed up on after the Cyngrys when there will be more time and resources available. As part of this co-operation, I hope will be an opportunity to exchange experiences and learn lessons from each other. The CYM may not be a party, but as an independent youth organisation we have learnt a great deal over the past 3 years; often with a great deal of trial and error as we sought to orient ourselves. We have gained experience in tenant and trade union organising, in anti-fascism, in navigating international relations, and in education, as well in the more mundane structural and organisational matters. We are happy to share these lessons with yourselves, so as to ensure the smoothest and most successful development of the PGC as it navigates its first years, and hopefully avoids some of the mistakes we have made.

I would also like to be able to take this opportunity to make an appeal as an Irish Socialist Republican. No doubt some of you will be familiar with the unfortunate reality that the issue of Ireland has largely been left by the wayside by most socialist organisations in Britain. Yet the reality remains that the north of Ireland is still occupied. Despite the supposed normalisation with the Peace Process, there are some surprising facts that show the reality of Britain’s presence in Ireland. As per the Good Friday Agreement, Ireland has no recourse to self-determination. Instead all authority over a border poll lies solely with the unelected British Secretary of State for the North; when Hillary Benn took over this post one of the first things he did was announce that there was no intention of hosting a referendum. Is this self-determination?

The authority of Britain does not appear out of nowhere either. It is enforced with the barrel of a gun. There are 2,000 regular soldiers stationed in the north, supported by a further 2,000 reservists. These regular soldiers are deployed under Operation Helvetic – which has been running since 2007 and which Britain refuses to disclose details on, despite costing an estimated £1 billion per year. In turn, the occupation is maintained by a 7,000 strong, armed and armoured PSNI which routinely harasses activists with an array of anti-terrorism legislation. Their work is supported by a further 700 MI5 agents, who have 20% of MI5’s budget at their disposal to deal with only 3% of the UK’s total population. All of this is further augmented by various loyalist paramilitaries numbering over 12,500 whom the PSNI constantly turns a blind eye towards, or openly collaborates with.

Is this a normal state? Is this what thousands struggled and died for? Is this not something which should rouse the indignation and anger of every self-proclaimed socialist?

Yet despite this, the most attention Ireland receives at best is a few articles every now and then. Given this state of affairs, you wouldn’t think that the soldiers who occupy Ireland are largely recruited from Britain, or that British taxpayers money goes towards propping up an occupation that costs billions per year.

Yet it is this state of affairs that makes the solidarity and actions of those living in Britain itself so important for us in Ireland. In this spirit, we echo the call of the Fenians of 1867, who requested not only sympathy from workers in Britain, but their active support in the struggle.

The struggle for a free Ireland is not merely about Ireland however; it is bound up with all the questions that communists should be concerned with. It is a question of solidarity, it is a question of whether or not the resources of society should go towards militarisation or to education, and it is a case that by fighting our oppression you are ultimately fighting against your own oppression here in Wales. 

In Ireland, we are prepared to support you as best as we can, and as an end to my contribution, and as a token of our friendship, I wish to present you with a gift.