Robert Griffiths is General Secretary of the Communist Party in Britain.

Full statement

Born in Cardiff, he has worked and lived in Gwent for much of the past 40 years. A former tutor with the TUC and Workers Education Association, he has campaigned on a wide range of issues, including public services, rights at work, nursery education, leasehold reform, anti-racism and—for many years—freedom for the Palestinan people. Rob is former Welsh president of the engineering white-collar union TASS and a delegate to Newport Trades Union Council and the Wales TUC. He also chaired election and referendum campaigns for a Welsh Assembly and against membership of the pro-big business EU, and was a founding member of the People's Assembly against Austerity. Father of three and grandfather of eight, a former boxer and rugby player, he is the author of books and pamphlets in English and Welsh on the economy and Welsh and working-class history. His campaign is supported by ex-Labour Party members, including two former leaders of Blaenau Gwent council. Robert says: "I'm nobody's poodle. As your MP, I would challenge the powers that be, demanding support and investment for one of the poorest constituencies in Britain".