The annual commemoration of anti-fascist volunteers who fought fascism in Spain now includes a key contribution from Italian comrades

THE recent death of Mark O’Neill, who among many roles in the movement was the Communist Party’s Anti-Austerity Commission convener, has come as a great blow to his party comrades and to the many labour movement activists who knew him and his unrelenting work in the movement.
Mark was also a respected member of the party’s executive until his battle with cancer made it impossible for him to continue.
When I learned of his death from his partner, great love and comrade, Deirdre, my mind went back to a teachers’ tour of Cuba we organised together in 2011 — a tour which I think and hope illustrates important aspects of Mark’s strong communist character and contribution to the working-class movement.



