Scottish Communists have always played a major part in the British labour movement; Red Clydeside, the UCS work-in, the resistance to the poll tax and the election of Willie Gallacher as MP for West Fife in 1935. Sadly the last thirty years have seen many of the industries and communities from which most of these Communists arose ruthlessly attacked and in some cases almost completely destroyed by a succession of right wing Tory and New Labour administrations.

In spite of this, Scotland's revolutionary heritage continues to be upheld and the YCL continues to attract interest from many young people angered by the injustices and inequalities inherent in the capitalist system. Glasgow has the worst levels of poverty in Western Europe. All over the country, young people are victimised by the police and demonised as "neds" by the media, meanwhile local authorities attack their education and shut down their facilities. The presence of Weapons of Mass Destruction - the Trident nuclear submarines - on Scottish soil, despite the overwhelming opposition of the majority of Scottish people have to them, is also a source of anger, and so the YCL upholds the Communist tradition of peace work by participating in the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

The YCL in Scotland performs a crucial role in public work and at demonstrations; distributing leaflets for events, election work, particularly in the lead up to the European Election, and selling the Morning Star at demonstrations and on the streets. The importance of this work cannot be over-emphasised. We often hear it said that Communism is dead, and that those who adhere to it are living in the past, but sight of the YCL in Scotland out carrying our banner effectively punctures this myth.

The Morning Star, the only Socialist daily, and the only newspaper which gives any kind of decent coverage of labour and progressive issues is the one of the most powerful weapons the labour movement has in its arsenal, and the work performed by YCL in promoting the paper and extending its circulation is utterly vital.

The YCL in Scotland also contribute to the development of our Marxist-Leninist education programme, so Communist ideas are kept alive, and members are able to develop as theorists as well as activists.

YCL Scotland webpage