Land for the People (Scotland) Bill

Andy Wightman has begun to develop proposals for a comprehensive Land Reform Bill – “one that goes far further than existing proposals in reforming Scotland’s land governance”. This piece was posted by bella caledonia. This was published with Andy’s permission but you can read the original on Andy’s blog here.  LAND FOR THR PEOPLE (SCOTLAND) BILL…

Benjamin Zephaniah’s break-up of UK and the republican dimension

Benjamin Zephaniah’s unexpected death on the 7th December at the early age 65 has been a shock to the countless thousands, maybe millions, who have come to love his work. His autobiography, The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah, is a very powerful book.  It draws on a range of life experiences that few others…

The cultural is political: Gig for Gaza and the rebirth of Irish cultural activism

Padraig Mac Oscair wrote this article for Rupture, the ecosocialist quarterly of RISE – Revolutionary, Socialist, Internationalist and Environment. He reviews  the recent ‘Gig for Gaza Fundraiser’ in the 3Arena, as well as highlighting the clear link between the cultural and the political in expressions of solidarity from Ireland. THE CULTURAL IS POLITICAL – GIG…

Grangemouth no more

The following article by Mike Small was first posted by bella caledonia. It highlights the failure of either the UK government (the main culprit) or the Scottish government (despite paper commitments) to follow a policy of Just Transition in the face of climate breakdown. It also points to further Unionist attempts to break the SNP/Green…

The Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales closing its visitor centre is tragic

At a time when there is an ever mounting corporate fossil fuel and Right wing offensive against any possibility of a Net Zero or a Just Transition, the closure of the Centre for Alternative Technology, near Machynlleth in Wales, which pioneered practical green solutions, is a major setback. This article, written by Ken Moon, provides…

Brazil’s senate approves a controversial bill in a major setback for Indigenous land rights

The following article written by Hannah Harland was first posted by The Canary and highlights the assaults of agribusiness on indigenous land rights rights in Brazil BRAZIL’S SENATE APPROVES A CONTROVERSIAL BILL IN MAJOR SETBACK FOR INDIGENOUS LAND RIGHTS Less than a week after celebrations of a key victory in Brazil’s supreme court, the country…

Omnicide

This article by Mike Small was first posted by bella caledonia. It outlines the attempt by Tory Right populists backed by Rishi Sunak backed by Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to bow before the fossil fuel companies and their attempt to prioritise profits at public expense and  ignore the growing climate crisis.  OMNICIDE The approval…

How big business took over the Labour Party

The following. article by Adam Ramsay was first posted by openDemocracy. It shows how corporate lobbyists have successfully pushed Keir Starmer’s party to ditch its progressive policies HOW BIG BUSINESS TOOK OVER THR LABOUR PARTY Over the summer, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party for the first time articulated a clear vision for government: everything will continue to be…

Love and magical thinking: from the Province of the Cat

The following article by George Gunn was first posted on bella caledonia,. LOVE AND MAGICAL THINKING FROM THE PROVINCE OF THE CAT Next year in September will be the tenth anniversary of the 2014 referendum campaign. Although the result was gut-wrenchingly disappointing those who were 16 then and first-time voters will be 26 in 2024,…

Remembering Wave Hill: when Australia’s indigenous fought back

The following article, written by Chloe Koffman was first posted by The Tribune.  It looks back to an inspirational struggfle which linked Australis’s indigenous workers with Australian labour movement and the key role played by the Australian Communist Party and on te winning of land rights by the Guirindji people. REMEMBERING WAVE HILL: WHEN AUSTRALIA’S…