The call for a United Front of working-class and progressive forces is not a new one, nor is it a vague abstract idea. It is the economic, political and theoretical policy of the Communist Party and Young Communist League, initially developed by Paul Levi in the early 1920s and built upon since then with concrete tests of how to implement it in practice, not just theory. We have adopted this policy born out of a Marxist-Leninist analysis of the current deepening general crisis of capitalism and the urgent needs of the working class. It is essential in the struggle against austerity and war led by a strong, organised trade union movement, moving from defensive to offensive struggle. This piece hopes to address questions or concerns around its meaning, its relevance and why it is the priority of the Communist Party and YCL.
Lenin’s early work, including What Is to Be Done?, frequently considers the role of class alliances. He developed the concept of the Worker-Peasant Alliance in Two Tactics of Social Democracy in the Democratic Revolution, and this tactic of class alliances in which the working class plays the leading role is ingrained in the united front strategy. The united front tactic originated in Weimar Germany and was subsequently developed by the Communist International, who adopted it as its strategic international policy. It was a strategic response to draw workers away from reformist illusions and build the working class as the leading force against monopoly capital, imperialism and war. The Communist International applied this strategy to the fight against fascism and for anti-colonial struggles.
Today, the ruling capitalist class destitutes the working class in Britain to fund its militarism and drive to war. The Labour government is only too happy to facilitate this through its adoption of military Keynesianism, prioritising warfare over welfare. That’s partly why 4.5 million children (nearly one in three) live in poverty in Britain.
The United Front, with the trade union movement at its core, is the antidote to the barbarism of capitalism. The United Front unites workers and their organisations around immediate, common demands while promoting socialism. The purpose of the United Front is to tie together separate struggles under one banner to give a unifying sense of purpose to each and every campaign. Young communists must expose every instance in which capitalism attacks the working class and how these are connected to each other, for example, how the brutal austerity imposed upon public services pays for the drive to war and militarism.
We must build working-class power evenly to move from isolated, defensive struggles to a coordinated, strengthened movement that consolidates and achieves victory across Britain. Every dispute that wins is a victory for the working class, and particular support should be paid to those workers fighting for collective sectoral bargaining because it strengthens the working-class movement in revolt against capitalism.
The United Front offers a real alternative to combat the rise of Reform UK and its racist scapegoating, as well as the betrayal of the Labour Party to the working class, by demonstrating that working-class unity and class struggle can deliver what people need. The slogan “Welfare not Warfare” as adopted by the Communist Party’s 58th Congress in November 2025 succinctly explains our opposition to monopoly capitalism and imperialism.
Young communists should be developing the political consciousness of young workers and students so they understand the root cause of their problems, i.e., monopoly capitalism and imperialism, and are roused to act on a positive programme of action against capitalism.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will the United Front be. It is built by the tireless effort of members and allies in our workplaces, campuses and communities through campaigns and political education. Our revolutionary energy must be channelled strategically to build the United Front, instead of giving up or bowing to spontaneity. We must link up our revolutionary struggle with the working class movement and not be isolated from the masses.
Young communists must play an active role in building or rebuilding workplace organisation. Our members are already doing so, particularly in the North West in public services; Scotland in hospitality and public services; the East of England in hospitality; the South East in higher education; and Birmingham in the railways. Every YCL member should be active in their union, working within Broad Left groups fighting for progressive policies, including collective sectoral bargaining, the right to strike and for the repeal of all anti-trade union legislation. In every industrial dispute, young communists should be drawing the link between low pay and austerity to monopoly capitalism and imperialism, as well as mobilising wider support for striking workers.
We should work with the Party to build and strengthen non-sectarian local alliances, such as the People’s Assembly and trades councils, to coordinate action and campaigns on housing, public services and other local issues. For example, YCL Derbyshire is involved in their local Better Buses Campaign, building momentum and collective action amongst the local community whilst exposing the failure of capitalism to address working-class issues.
To raise the political consciousness of youth in Britain, we must utilise our magazine Challenge as well as the Morning Star, Communist Review and Unity! to provide a Marxist-Leninist analysis to our peers. At the same time, this helps us to develop our own arguments through research and writing.
Furthermore, we mustn’t shy away from putting the communist view across in trade union debate. For example, at the TUC Congress in 2025, the ‘Wages Not Weapons’ motion passed, reversing previous TUC policy that supported increased military expenditure. This is thanks to the tireless efforts of communists, including young communists, in the peace and anti-war movement, who have taken these debates to our unions and turned the tide on these attitudes towards military spending in our trade unions. Now more trade unionists and workers are politically aware of the fact that more money for bombs means less money for public services. Young communists must continue building and developing this area of work to see further progress.
The Communist Party’s Kevin Halpin School delivered vital education to young trade unionists with a range of experience in the last quarter of 2025. Now, young communists’ tasks are to implement this education in practice in their workplace and their wider union to build a strong trade union movement at the core of the United Front. Young people are acutely affected by low pay and precarity, and as young communists, it is important to campaign on the issues that affect young people, to draw them into the movement and the class struggle against capitalism.
The deepening crisis of capitalism necessitates that we build the United Front against war and austerity. This isn’t a vague task – it is the day to day work of communists and our branches, districts and nations. It requires patience and persistence to build the labour and progressive movements on a local, regional and national level to achieve socialism.
The main task of the YCL is to train youth in communism, not just through textbooks but through practice too. Therefore, it is the duty of all young communists to contribute to building the United Front.
Georgina Andrews, is General Secretary of the Young Communist League
