'Victory for Boris Johnson in the contest for London mayor would be a calamity for Londoners, a defeat for the anti-war movement and a big set-back for community relations', Graham Stevenson told the Communist party's political committee on Wednesday.

Mr Stevenson urged left unity around the campaign for Ken Livingstone as 'the first choice for socialists, peace campaigners, anti-racists and all progressive-minded people'.

He also welcomed plans for Unity For Peace and Socialism - an electoral alliance between the Communist Party and domiciled Communists and socialists from overseas - to run a full slate of candidates for the Greater London Authority party list seats.

Welcoming the strike by more than 21,000 Birmingham and Argyll council workers to defend their pay and conditions, Mr Stevenson called upon the labour movement to step up the fight against wage cuts, privatisation and price rises.

'The fat cats have had it their way for too long', the national trade union officer remarked, welcoming the campaign of John McDonnell MP to increase raise National Insurance contributions for the rich and the Private Members Bill from Andrew Miller MP to expand the rights of temporary and agency workers.

The Communist Party appealed for a big turn-out on February 27 to lobby MPs in favour of Early Day Motion 597 and a referendum on the EU Reform Treaty, and on March 15 for the 'World Against War' demonstration in London.