The Communist Party’s Political Committee has issued the following statement on the sexual exploitation of woman and girls. In a class based society, misogyny, sexual abuse and the objectification of women and girls are part of the oppression all women suffer because of their sex. The Communist Party of Britain supports and is playing a role in the building of a new, unified women’s movement to challenge this exploitative system as part of the struggle for true liberation. We express our deepest concern at the violent abuse and sexual exploitation of young working-class women and girls in this country by organised criminal gangs which left wing feminists were the first to report on twenty years ago. We reject the racist and ethno-cultural stereotyping of this commercial sexual exploitation and recognise the systematic failure of the state to protect these girls from violent, abusive men as a class issue. All reports make it clear that grooming gangs do not come from any one particular culture. Malicious misinformation and fictitious narratives are used by the Right to serve their racist agenda. Cuts to police forces, the NHS, social work outreach and children and youth services render the safeguarding of all children in this country impossible, leaving working class children at particular risk. Institutional misogyny is at the root of the widespread failure to protect vulnerable working-class girls from being raped, tortured and murdered by criminal gangs. Teenage girls were treated as culpable and ‘deserved what they got’, ignored, dismissed or delivered back into the hands of the gangs rather than supported and protected by the agencies responsible for safeguarding them. Instead of acting in the best interest of the victims, the police and child protection services not only ignored the young girls and their desperate families but in some cases brought charges against them. Their ongoing commercial sexual exploitation and the dismissive way many have been treated when they have sought help exposes the class nature and inadequacy of the organs of state under capitalism. There can be little doubt that there has been a widespread failure to act on reports from victims, families and communities which is utterly unacceptable. Furthermore, had these girls been the children of wealthy parents with the resources to challenge the failure by the police and children’s services to perform their safeguarding duties, the perpetrators would probably have been behind bars years earlier. The physical and psychological harm inflicted on young women and girls is not being fully understood or addressed. Schools, communities and public services are without action plans to prevent the commercial trafficking and sexual exploitation of girls. We acknowledge the anguish of the women and girls who have been and still are preyed upon by organised criminal gangs up and down this country. We believe that their voices are not being heard, they are not safe or protected and too many have been denied the justice they need and deserve. The Communist Party of Britain demands the immediate and full implementation of the recommendations from Professor Alexis Jay’s IICSA Report, a thorough review of the practices of all institutions involved in the safeguarding and protection of children and the development of a code of conduct for all professionals working with the young END.

Communist Party General Secretary Robert Griffiths made the following comments on US trade sanctions yesterday (Sunday, 2 February 2025): “President Trump's trade war threatens any plan for growth, especially Keir Starmer’s and Rachel Reeves’, in Britain that relies on US and EU inward investment and the financial markets.” “We should neither grovel to Trump alongside the Tories, Reform UK and Lord Mandelson nor side with the EU and escalate the conflict as proposed by Labour and LibDem "Rejoiners".” “Instead, we should take control of Britain's enormous corporate and private wealth to invest in green technology, research and development, public sector housing and well-paid workers' skills; renationalise the energy sector; and control retail prices.” “In particular, Britain needs to expand its manufacturing and trade in electrical, mechanical and technical products with the world's emerging economies - a policy first recommended by Chinese ministers to a Communist Party of Britain delegation almost twenty years ago.” Further comment to follow. END.