What has happened to the Left since the Westminster 2005 General Election This year’s SSP Conference takes place in the context of the run-up to a likely General Election in May. Despite the opportunities provided to socialists by the deepest crisis of capitalism since the 1930’s, the Left in the UK is weaker than it…
Report Of The Second Republican Socialist Convention, 13.2.10
Below is the report of the 2nd Republican Socialist Convention. This was hosted by the Socialist Alliance London on 13.2.10. Both Colin Fox and Allan Armstrong spoke for the SSP. The report is followed by Allan’s contribution. This produced a response from Nick Rogers of the CPGB-WW which is also posted along with Allan’s reply. 1.…
Campaign To Fight The Blacklist And To Support Brian Higgins
Last autumn, the official journal of the construction workers’ union, UCATT, revealed the shocking details of a Blacklist operated by The Consulting Association (TCA), on behalf of a group of named construction companies. 3200 named construction worker trade unionists are on the list. This was followed by an impressive article, Boys from the Blacklist, published…
Report of the First Global Commune Day
January 16th 2010, Out of the Blue Centre, Edinburgh Over the last year, comrades in the RCN have become more and more aware of the ideas and activities of comrades In The Commune, based south of the border. Like many on the left, older members of Commune have been round the block a bit in…
SSP and Elections
Members of the SSP have been asked to contribute documents on electoral strategy, here is a contribution from the RCN. A Contribution To The Discussions Arising From The Glasgow North East By-Election 1. How did the SSP publicly assess the by-election result? The Republican Communist Network (RCN) welcomes the decision of the SSP Executive Committee…
Global Commune Meeting
The Global Commune It is now 20 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. For most people this signalled the end of communism. However, there has always been another view, which understands that the USSR and its satellites and emulators were never communist, socialist or workers’ states. They represented the negation of communism. The…
The Legacy of James Connolly
Allan Armstrong interviews Jim Slaven, a founder member of the James Connolly Society and currently Chair of the Connolly Foundation. Jim outlines the longstanding campaigns to have James Connolly commemorated in Edinburgh, the city of his birth. Our own radical tradition is a mystery to us, that we don’t know about our historical links with…
James Connolly – ‘An unrepentant revolutionist’
This article, written by Jim Slaven, is taken from the James Connolly Foundation website. James Connolly was born in Edinburgh in 1868. He led a truly remarkable life. Before transatlantic flights, telephones or the internet Connolly did not just join the fledgling socialist movement he instigated much of it. He was responsible for the formation…
Savings in the Down-Turn
Savings Efficiency ones or just savings Public sector restraint And reducing waste New realities demanding These new measures For we all have to tighten our belts During this down-turn Which refuses to say What we are all saving for And who we all are While we still fight wars And order Trident Mark 2 As…
Book Review: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Robert Burns 1759-1786
A Celebration of the Life and Work of Robert Burns 1759-1786 An Independent Revolutionary Radical By James D. Young; Printed and published by Clydeside Press; £3.95 What does Robert Burns mean to me? Edinburgh People’s Festival Published by WP Books; £3.00 It is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and we have…