THIS weekend marks the 110th anniversary of the Burston Strike School Rally in Norfolk, commemorating the longest strike in British history. In 1914, beloved teachers Tom and Kitty Higdon, both socialists and trade unionists, were dismissed by the local authorities. 

In protest, their students walked out, initiating a strike that lasted 25 years. Since 1984, the rally has been an annual event, symbolising the labour movement’s strength and progressive ideas in the east of England. This year’s rally also celebrates the recent electoral shift in the region, where the Conservative Party has been replaced by Labour, Lib Dems, and Reform UK in key constituencies. The rally will draw thousands, reflecting the changing political landscape.

The east of England has seen a significant political transformation, with Labour now holding 31 seats, the Lib Dems seven, and Reform UK securing three. The region also has a Green MP in Waveney Valley. In many areas, Reform UK has become a significant force, even in constituencies they didn’t win, demonstrating the shifting political allegiances. Despite the high engagement in political activities during the election, voter turnout was low, with some areas like Luton and South Bedfordshire seeing less than 50 per cent participation.

The Communist Party (CP) is also rebuilding its presence in the east of England, with a new branch set to be opened in the key town of Ipswich, focusing on strengthening local labour movements and addressing major challenges such as the rise of Reform UK, the Toothless in England campaign, the decline in public-sector housing and solidarity with Palestine. 

The CP will launch a Rural Charter at the Burston rally, aiming to address the land and food issues that have long been neglected by the labour movement. The charter, available in multiple languages such as Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Polish and Portuguese, seeks to involve migrant workers who play a crucial role in the region’s agriculture and food production sectors. 

In the wake of the Reform UK surge and the right-wing protests in July, it is campaigning to build union activity and bring unity to local communities, especially in market towns.

The land and food issues in the east of England have deep historical roots, with early campaigns by Levellers, Diggers and the chartists. Socialist campaigns for land reform and nationalisation date back to the 1880s. Notable figures like Joseph Arch and Wilf Page have championed these causes, advocating for co-operative and socialised food production, and successfully campaigning against harmful agricultural practices such as tied housing and more recently, against mega farms and cancer-forming pesticides.

In 1935, as part of its popular front policy, the party began producing The Country Standard, which has a remarkable and unbroken record of campaigning journalism and, at one point, was adopted as the house newspaper of the agricultural workers’ union. 

It is still produced today as a supplement to the Morning Star and edited by Labour activist Chris Kaufman — previously national secretary of the agriculture, food and allied workers’ trade group of the TGWU and Unite. The current issue of the Standard will be available on the Communist Party stall at Burston; be sure to drop by and get your copy.

The Rural Charter, titled The Land is a Common Treasury for All, draws inspiration from the Digger Gerard Winstanley and addresses the anarchic state of food production under capitalism. 

It calls for radical changes to the ownership and structure of agriculture, aiming to rebuild rural communities and ensure food security. 

It calls for the formation of a regional assembly to face down the so-called “developers,” for action on soil and coastal erosion, the establishment of a new kind of co-operative sector spanning production, distribution and retail and setting up a new University of Food and Agriculture in the region. The charter emphasises that food should be affordable, plentiful, and produced by a well-paid workforce, rejecting the profit-driven model that currently dominates the industry. 

In the tradition of Marx it calls for the eradication of the distinction of town and countryside, ending “a subjection which makes one man into a restricted town-animal, the other into a restricted country-animal, and daily creates anew the conflict between their interests” (The German Ideology).

The CP’s Rural Charter — priced one pound — will be available at the Burston Strike Rally, underscoring the importance of addressing rural issues in the fight for a socialist society. The CP’s East of England district continues to advocate for these causes, highlighting the need for a revolutionary approach to land and food in the region.

Phil Katz is Communist Party East of England district secretary.