Founded in 1980, most of the PSC's early members were ex-Communists, trade unionists and Labour Party supporters as well as left wing Polish exiles, including members of the Polish Socialist Party In Exile, and the main campaign centred on gaining support for Solidarnosc from British trade union movement.
In 1982, following the imposition of Martial Law, and after strong lobbying from PSC members Naomi Hyamson and Wiktor Moszczynski, a narrow majority on the Executive voted to discontinue the invitations.
PSC organized several public meetings in London addressed by Labour MPs such as Neil Kinnock, Ken Weetch and Phillip Whitehead.
After the imposition of martial law by General Jaruzelski on December 13, 1981, PSC members picketed the Polish Embassy with the use of hunger sit ins.
On December 20 PSC organized a mass demonstration in Hyde Park, attended by over 14,000 people, including members of the |Polish community and british organizations across a very wide spectrum from Conservative Associations to Communist Party beanches, and were addressed by Polish community leaders Labour and Liberal MPs, a Conservative MEP, trade unionist, members of the European Nuclear Disarmament movement and the Mujahedeen, as well as Czech speakers.
After martial law PSC developed into a mass movement of more than 2,000 paid up members, with a campaign budget exceeding £25,000 with affiliated branches in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Wyre Forest, Cambridge, Nottingham, Brighton and other cities.
PSC set up their own regular bulletin, called PSC News, which had 12 issues.PSC members Jacek Rostowski and Wanda Koscia assisted in setting up the Solidarnosc Working Group, headed initially by Artur Swiergiel and Andzzej Lodynski, and later by Marek Garztecki which consisted of Solidarnosc members who happened to be in the UK when martial law was declared.