Communists pledged to build the Morning Star's readership at the weekend, recognising that Britain's only left-wing daily was a "vital weapon in the hands of the labour movement."

Acting editor Ben Chacko, addressing the party's 53rd congress as a guest speaker, warned that the general election was stacked against Labour - with the Tories having a funding pot twice as large and the new "gagging Act" tying trade unions' hands behind their backs in the run-up to May's vote.

"This means the Morning Star will in many fields be the only way the labour movement can get its voice heard."

Circulation manager Bernadette Keaveney praised the party's long-standing support for the paper, thanking delegates for the hard work done to sell and promote the Star day-in, day-out.

And campaigns co-ordinator David Peel stressed the importance of the paper's ambitious target to win 1,000 new readers a day - both of the physical newspaper and the new downloadable app available on the website.

The party also heard from Sheffield legend Brian Munsey, who with his wife Ann raises thousands for the paper each year through selling wooden bowls, garments and jam they make.

• Congress put its money where its mouth is, raising £691.50 in a raffle for the Star.