Answer the following question: Facts: - caption: robert griffiths in 2011 - birth name: robert david griffiths - successor: position ended - party: communist party - predecessor: mike hicks new position - office: general movement secretary of the communist party welsh socialist republican - otherparty: plaid 1979 -- 1982 -rrb- communist party of great britain -lrb- cymru until 1988 -rrb- -lrb- 1974 -- 78 -rrb- wsrm -lrb- - term end: 1982 - term start: 1 january 1998 1979 - birth date: 21 april 1952 - nationality: british - image: robert_griffiths , _ britain_needs_socialism , _ 2011.jpg - birth place: cardiff , wales Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of robert griffiths -lrb- politician -rrb- .
Answer:
robert david griffiths -lrb- born 1952 -rrb- is the general secretary of the communist party .he was elected by the communist party 's executive committee in january 1998 , in place of mike hicks .griffiths was born in cardiff where he attended bryn hafod primary school and cardiff high school .later he went to the university of bath to study economics before taking a position as a parliamentary research officer for plaid cymru in 1974 .he stayed in the post until 1979 ; it was a difficult year for the party , which had faced defeat in the welsh devolution referendum and the loss of gwynfor evans ' seat in the general election .with a reduced presence in westminster the party had no need of a large parliamentary staff and griffiths was made redundant .in july 1979 he collaborated with gareth miles to publish '' socialism for the welsh people '' , a pamphlet which was critical of plaid cymru for its '' opportunism '' and alleged subservience to the british state .the pamphlet called for the creation of a welsh socialist republican movement , which was founded by griffiths , miles and others in january 1980 .griffiths served as the organisation 's secretary and and wrote for the its magazine ' the arrow ' -lrb- -rrb- .he has also previously served as welsh president of the auew-tass union .griffiths was a speaker at the first communist university in wales , and he speaks regularly at national communist party events .he has also taken part in debates at the oxford union , cambridge union society and manchester debating union .in february 2013 , griffiths was among those who gave their support to the people 's assembly in a letter published by '' the guardian '' newspaper .he continues to be an active supporter of the people 's assembly nationally and is also active in his local people 's assembly in cardiff .