hands of the Social Democrats. The polemic reached its peak at the 1953 party congress. Persson fiercely exposed his criticism, particularly towards the new party chairman Hilding Hagberg, whom he branded as an opportunist. Persson was in turn accused of being an egoist who wanted to divide and damage the party. Criticism was delivered towards Persson by Knut Senander and even former brother-in-arms Holmberg, who said that Persson had to be held accountable for lack of political orientation and anti-party actions. Both Senander and Holmberg were considered as being part of the leftist section of the party, but at this occasion their appeared as the most firebrand defenders of the party line. Only a handful of delegates defended Persson, and those who did clearly highlighted that they did not fully share Persson's critique of the line of the party leadership. In a highly emotional conclusion of the debate, Persson declared his resignation from the party in a speech to the congress. After leaving the party, Persson was subjected to a great deal of criticism from the party. This critique was printed in the party media. Persson himself, however, initially kept his promise not to give any comment on his departure from the party to the non-communist press. In January 1954 the party accused him of having contacted the Social Democratic press. Several other accusations were levelled against himself, especially the fact that he lived on his borgarråd-pension. After these accusations, Persson spoke out openly about the proceedings of the 1953 congress. Simultaneously, a campaign of purges were conducted inside the party. Individuals found to be sympathizers of Persson were expelled. Persson rallied his supporters into secret 'marxist circles', were some of the participants were still party members. In 1956 he launched a new party, the Communist Labour League of Sweden (Sveriges Kommunistiska Arbetarförbund). The new party published Revolt. SKA did not, however, attain any real importance. At most it had around 100 members. Although Persson in the 1950s had emerged as the leader of the most hardline faction within the communist movement he was, paradoxally, amongst the first to publicly criticize the human rights situation in the Socialist Bloc. Set Persson died on 15 July 1960. SKA withered away after his death. When the Marxist-Leninist Struggle League (MLK) emerged inte 1970s, they named their bookstores after Persson. Set Persson bookstores were set up in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Trollhättan, Sundsvall and Kiruna.