I think 1) Orwell never identified as "communist" but rather as a socialist with anarchist leanings, which is somewhat different. 2) Given his early death we do

I think 1) Orwell never identified as "communist" but rather as a socialist with anarchist leanings, which is somewhat different. 2) Given his early death we don't know how his views would have evolved had he lived. Many left wing people of his generation moved to the right (often extremely so like Whittaker Chambers) because they eventually saw the conflict as between the USSR and the West and began to see anyone with any sympathy to the USSR as a potential traitor.