Solidarity From England

E&L is posting the leaflet handed out at the Peoples Assembly conference in London by supporters of the Scottish Republic Yes Tendency in the new Left Unity Party. AGAINST TORY AUSTERITY SCOTLAND VOTE YES On September 18th Scotland will vote for or against the 1707 Act of Union. A ‘Yes’ majority is in the interests…

The Demise Of Labourism And The Passing Of Tony Benn

Eric Chester (RCN) goes beyond the glowing tributes made to Tony Benn after he died earlier this year and takes a critical look his politics. Tony Benn was one of the most popular and respected figures on the Left in Scotland and throughout the UK. His recent death has been followed by many notices that…

Making Plans For Nigel

Allan Armstrong (RCN) examines the situation Socialists face across these islands in the light of the recent European election and the ongoing Scottish independence referendum campaign. A SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN ANALYSIS OF THE STATE OF THE UK AND ‘NEW UNIONISM’ IN THE LIGHT OF THE RISE OF UKIP AND THE FORTHCOMING SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM CONTENTS Introduction…

Racism In Northern Ireland Breaking The Bounds of Liberal Outrage

Below E&L has posted a leaflet distributed by Socialist Democracy (Ireland) at an anti-racist rally in Belfast on 7th June. This was produced in response to Northern Ireland First Minster, Peter Robinson of the DUP and the initial support heave to a rabid rant directed against Muslims by a Protestant fundamentalist preacher, James McConnell. Racism:…

Labour And Socialist Left Unionism In The Scottish Independence Debate

Allan Armstrong (RCN) prepared a talk for the Conference of Socialist Economists Day School held in the Out of the Blue Centre in Edinburgh on June 21st. The article below incorporates some of the discussion points that were raised. It provides a socialist republican analysis of the British Left and the case for an ‘internationalism…

Cultural Capitulation And Cultural Resistance In Ireland

Below are two articles from the May/June issue of Socialist Democracy (Ireland) about recent cultural developments in Ireland. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has always been seen as being on the cultural frontline of the Irish national movement. The first article outlines the retreat of the GAA in the face of Sky TV’s global corporate onslaught.…

Solidarity With Scotland Speaking Tour – Reports From England

Below we have two reports of the recent RIC-backed Scottish Solidarity Speaking Tour (SSPT) in England. The first is from Alan Story of Northampton LUP, who organised a panel in that city to interview Cat Boyd of RIC. He has sent on this report to Kate Hudson, the LUP National Secretary. The second is by…

2 New Pieces On Ukraine

The RCN co-sponsored a tour by Zakhar Popyvych of the Left Opposition in Kyiv to Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow from May 16th-18th (see Ukraine – Caught between East and West). Patricia Kirk (RCN) videoed Zakhar’s talk in Glasgow, whilst John Lanigan (RCN) took a number of photographs. Two of these photographs and the video link…

Just Say Yes? – A Review Of ‘Yes – The radical case for Independence’ by James Foley & Pete Ramand

Murdo Ritche (RCN) reviews Yes- The Radical Case for Scottish Independence by James Foley & Pete Ramand (Pluto Press, 2014). This was first posted on Murdo’s blog (http://murdoritchie.blog.co.uk) and has been slightly changed. JUST SAY YES? The cover and the title of this book summarize the contradictory tensions that flow all through the text. The word…