Emancipation & Liberation

Jul 12 2020

THE UK STATE, RIGHT POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN 2020 – rUK IT or fUK IT?

Allan Armstrong has produced his third online pamphlet, following The Continuing Shift from Neo-Liberalism to Right Populism. This follows the last update which looked at the impact of Right Populism and reactionary unionism on the politics of the these islands after the December 12^th UK and February 8^th Irish general elections. The contents of the latest pamphlet (https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/dec12th-covid-19-and-blm-scotland2-5.pdf) are shown below. This is followed by two sections from the pamphlet specifically relating to the recent and current situation in Scotland, which form the basis for Allan’s talk on the Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Republican Party Zoom meeting.

THE UK STATE, RIGHT POPULISM AND

REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN 2020

rUK it or fUK it?

A republican communist analysis in the aftermath of December 12^th general election, Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter

Allan Armstrong. 6.7.20

Contents

A. FROM THE DECEMBER 12^TH WESTMINSTER GENERAL ELECTION THROUGH THE COVID-19 CRISIS

Continue reading “THE UK STATE, RIGHT POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN 2020 – rUK IT or fUK IT?”

Tags: Author: Allan Armstrong, Author: George Kerevan, Conter, Intfrobel Publishing, reactionary unionism, Right populism, RIGHT POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN 2020 rUK it or fUK it?, The Continuing Shift from Neo-Liberalism to Right Populism, THE UK STATE

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Jul 02 2020

THE CRISIS OF THE LABOUR PARTY

Category: Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,England,How they are organised,Ireland,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,UK state/British imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 11:37 am

Steve Freeman takes a different view if the crisis in the British Labour Party from the views taken by the British Left. Steve relates the crisis in the Labour Party to the ongoing collapse of the post-1945 UK’s social monarchist welfare state.

THE CRISIS IN THE LABOUR PARTY

I want to begin with a nursery rhyme which sums up the character of the present political stage we are living through.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty back together again

This is in original a civil war story about the royalist army having a very big cannon – called Humpty Dumpty – sitting on a wall before being knocked out by the parliamentary forces, such that all the kings horses etc. couldn’t fix it.

.I am going to discuss the Report of Labour Together – the 2019 Election Review’(RLT). We are discussing the situation before Covid 19 or Black Lives Matter. These are the immediate issues that are at the front of our minds today. Why go back over the ‘ancient’ history of a Labour defeat best forgotten? The answer is we can learn a considerable amount about the state of peoples’ views or political consciousness, as expressed through England’s two-party system, and revealed in their voting behaviour in December 2019. This ‘moment’ was a mass event with millions of participants and therefore worthy of critical analysis. Continue reading “THE CRISIS OF THE LABOUR PARTY”

Tags: 'Get Brexit Done', 'I Daniel Blake', 'Revolution Betrayed', 'Spirit of 45', 'Take Back Control', 'The Navigators', 1688-1707 Glorious Revolution, 1690 Battle of the Boyne, 1945 Social Contract, 1953 Coronation, 1984-5 Great Miners' Strike, 2014 IndyRef1, 2016 EU referendum, 2019 Labour Manifesto, Author: Steve Freeman, baby boomers, Barras, BBC, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brissot, British Labour Party, Dominic Cummings, England, EU, Gladstone's Liberal Party, Good Friday Agreement, Iraq War, Jeremy Corbyn, Ken Loach, Labour's historic defeat, Leon Trotsky, Margaret Thatcher, Mirabeau, Napoleon, New Labour, Northern Ireland, Orangemen, Report of Labour Together – the 2019 Election Review, Robespierre, Scotland, social monarchy, Sorry We Missed You, suspension of Stormont 2017-20, The Transitional Programme for Socialist Revolution, Tony Blair, United Kingdom, Wales, welfare state, Whig Party, white Anglo-Saxon identity, Windrush

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Mar 14 2020

THE LABOUR LEFT ALLIANCE AND ROYAL SOCIALISM

Category: Against Unionism,England,How they are organised,Ireland,Scotland,The Socialist Republican Break-up of the UK,UK state/British imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 5:49 pm

This letter by Steve Freeman is a reponse to a report by Stan Keable in Weekly Worker about the post-December 12th general election conference of section of the Labour Left, who have become disillusioned with Momentum, John Lansman’s Corbyn fan club. Yet, as this letter shows the Labour Left Alliance retains the weaknesses of Corbyn, his allies and Momentum when it comes to the existing UK state.

THE LABOUR LEFT ALLIANCE AND ROYAL SOCIALISM

As reported by Stan Keable in ‘A vision of royal socialism’ (Weekly Worker, February 27), the Labour Left Alliance conference was a significant event in the evolution of the Labour Left, which was revitalised by the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader in 2015. Stan reports that 130 delegates at the conference represented about 36 local and national Labour Left groups. Continue reading “THE LABOUR LEFT ALLIANCE AND ROYAL SOCIALISM”

Tags: 'royal socialism', 'soclal monarchism', 2016 EU referendum, British Labour Party, British Left Unionism, Chris Williamson, Frederick Engels, Ireland, James Connolly, Jeremy Corbyn, John Lansman, John MacLean, Karl Marx, Labour Left Alliance, Lenin, London LLA, Momentum, Scotland, Tony Blair, Wales

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Feb 27 2020

COMPETING STRATEGIES IN THE FACE OF THE BREAK-UP OF THE UK AND THE CASE FOR A SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ ALLIANCE

Category: Against Imperialism,Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,Elections,England,Environmental Degradation/Sharing Our Planet,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,For Liberation: Struggles against Oppression,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Ireland,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,The EU,The Socialist Republican Break-up of the UK,UK state/British imperialism,US imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 12:31 am

Allan Armstrong has added an addendum to his book From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit (https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/socialists-and-december-12th-election.pdf) following the December 12th UK and February 8th Irish general elections.

COMPETING STRATEGIES IN THE FACE OF THE BREAK-UP OF THE UK AND THE CASE FOR A SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ ALLIANCE

Although Johnson gained an overall Right Populist electoral victory in the UK on December 12th, this disguises the fact that in Scotland the constitutional nationalist SNP emerged as the electoral victor, pushing the Tories and Scottish Labour into retreat. In Wales, the still largely liberal unionist, Welsh Labour and the constitutional nationalist, Plaid Cymru retained an overall majority, but the Tories made substantial gains. In Northern Ireland, the reactionary unionist DUP lost its overall majority, giving a tentative constitutional nationalist (Sinn Fein and SDLP) and liberal unionist (APNI) alliance a majority. Furthermore, there are wider national democratic movements in Scotland, Wales and Ireland/Northern Ireland, which will be prepared to challenge Johnson’s reactionary unionist clampdown. This is a recipe for continued constitutional crisis, with Scotland in the front line at present. Continue reading “COMPETING STRATEGIES IN THE FACE OF THE BREAK-UP OF THE UK AND THE CASE FOR A SOCIALIST REPUBLICAN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ ALLIANCE”

Tags: 'America First', 'Ulster'-British, Anthony Coughlan, Aontu, APNI, Author: Allan Armstrong, Borders Communities Against Brexit, Boris Johnson, Brexit, British Labour, City of London, Communist Party of Ireland, conservative unionism, constitutional nationalism, Donald Trump, DUP, English-European, EU bureaucracy, European Central Bank, Form Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit, Fresh Start, GAMA workers, Irexit, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Irish Freedom Party, Irish general election February 8th, Irish-European, Latin American cleaners, liberal unionism, loyalists, Muslins, Nigel Farage, Norther Ireland Committee - Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Northern Irish-British, People before Profit, Plaid Cymru, reactionary unionism, Right populism, Roma, Scottish Labour, Scottish-British, Scottish-European, SDLP, Sinn Fein, SNP, Social Partnership, socialist republicanism, Tory Party, Travellers, UK general election December 12th, Welsh Labour, Welsh-British, Welsh-European

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Feb 09 2020

TWO SCOTTISH RESPONSES TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION

Category: Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,England,How we organise,Ireland,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,Wales — RCN @ 2:16 pm

We are posting two responses to the results of the December 12th general election, the first from activists within the Scottish Labour Party and the second form Gavin Lundy, National Convenor of Young Scots for Independence.

_______________

1. Open Letter: Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy

(this was first posted at:- https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/12/15/open-letter-scottish-labour-for-radical-democracy)

We demand radical self-determination for Scotland. The Scottish people have, in successive elections to both Holyrood and Westminster, elected majorities in favour of a new referendum on independence. Setting aside the arguments for and against independence, we must not allow a hardline Tory government – which has no mandate here – to override Scotland’s democratic will.

Should all attempts to secure a second referendum by legal and constitutional means be obstructed by the UK government, we support an escalating strategy of non-cooperation and civil disobedience against that government, pursued at all possible levels: from the Scottish Government legislating on, or refusing to cooperate with, matters ‘reserved’ to Westminster, to grassroots non-violent direct action within and outwith Scotland. Continue reading “TWO SCOTTISH RESPONSES TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION”

Tags: Blue Labour, December 12th general election, Fabians, Gavin Lundy, Ged Killen, Greens, Jess Phillips MP, Labour Party, Lisa Tandy, Momentum, Monica Lennon MSP, Neil Findlay MSP, Scottish government, Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy, SNP, Young Scots for Independence

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Feb 04 2020

FROM ILLUSIONS IN A LEXIT BREXIT TO A DISILLUSIONED LEXIT FROM BREXIT POLITICS – THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION AND INDEPENDENT SOCIALISTS ACROSS THESE ISLANDS

Allan Armstrong has published an article entitled From Illusions in a Lexit Brexit to a Disillusioned Lexit from Brexit Politics (https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/socialists-and-december-12th-election.pdf) The contents of this book are shown below, followed by the last two chapters and conclusion. This article follows The Impact of the December 12th General Election across the Constituent Parts of the UK. (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2020/01/24/the-impact-of-the-december-12th-general-election-across-the-constituent-parts-of-the-uk/)

__________________

FROM ILLUSIONS IN A LEXIT BREXIT TO A DISILLUSIONED LEXIT FROM BREXIT POLITICS

Telegraph backs Lexiters’ ‘revolution’ and ‘Peoples Brexit!

Contents

a) The 2015 general election provided a warning

b) After 2015 – an increasingly floundering Left

c) Northern Ireland – a different pattern

d) Reactionary unionism and Europhobic opposition to the EU

e) The largest independent Socialist parties walk into the Brexit trap

f) The official Remain and Leave campaigns – two wings of the British ruling class

g) The Lexiters’ false arguments

h) The political options open in the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum

i) From 23rd May, 2016 to 8th June, 2017 – A victory for the Left or the Right?

j) ‘Independent’ Socialists and ‘Oh Jeremy Corbyn’!

k) Corbyn and the ‘independent’ Socialists unwittingly help Boris Johnson to victory

l) Independent socialists after the December 12th general election

m) Independent socialists in Scotland and Northern Ireland/Ireland

n) Conclusion

______________________

THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION AND INDEPENDENT SOCIALISTS ACROSS THESE ISLANDS

1. Independent socialists after the December 12^th general election

On December 12^th, Labour’s vote share fell by 7.8% and its number of MPs decreased from 262 to 202. The Tories’ vote share rose 1.2%, but its number of MPs increased from 317 to 365. The gap in the vote share was 11.4%, 32.2% for Labour and 43.6% for the Tories.[1] Not surprisingly a shattered Jeremy Corbyn offered his resignation, opening up the prospect of a new leadership campaign. Continue reading “FROM ILLUSIONS IN A LEXIT BREXIT TO A DISILLUSIONED LEXIT FROM BREXIT POLITICS – THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION AND INDEPENDENT SOCIALISTS ACROSS THESE ISLANDS”

Tags: '10 Pledges', All Under One Banner, Author: Allan Armstrong, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Committee for a Workers International, Cross Community Labour Alliance, Emma Thornberry, Fresh Start, International Socialist Tendency, Jeremy Corbyn, Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish Voice of Labour, Karie Murphy, Len McCluskey, Leo Varadkar, Lexit, Lisa Tandy, Norther Ireland Committee - Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Northern Ireland, People before Profit, Radical Independence Campaign, reactionary unionism, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Republic of Ireland, Right populism, Scotland, Scottish Socialist Party, Sectarianism, Sir Keith Starmer, Socialist Party (Ireland), Socialist Workers Party, Socialist Workers Party (Ireland), SocialistParty (England and Wales)

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Jan 24 2020

THE IMPACT OF THE DECEMBER 12TH GENERAL ELECTION ACROSS THE CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THE UK

Category: Against Unionism,Elections,England,How they are organised,Ireland,Radical Independence Campaign,Scotland,The EU,UK state/British imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 5:58 pm

Allan Armstrong follows up his article, The Continued Rise of Right National Populism and Reactionary Unionism in the Run-up to the December 12th General Election (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2019/12/09/the-continued-rise-of-right-populism-and-reactionary-unionism/). He examines the impact of the general election results across the constituent parts of the UK and the prospects for the immediate future.

THE IMPACT OF THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION ACROSS THE CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THE UK

a) The three possible outcomes of the December 12^thWestminster general election

b) How Corbyn’s Left social democracy, its complicity in British chauvinism and racism and its support for the UK state helped to pave the way for Johnson

c) Other factors undermining the Corbynista challenge to Johnson

d) The election results in England

e) The election results in Wales

f) The election results in Scotland

g) The election results in Northern Ireland

h) Conclusion

_________________

Continue reading “THE IMPACT OF THE DECEMBER 12TH GENERAL ELECTION ACROSS THE CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THE UK”

Tags: '10 Pledges', 'America First'/'Britain Second', 'Its Time for Real Change', 2014 IndyRef1, 2019 EU elections, 2019 general election, Alex Salmond, All Under One Banner, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, anti-semitism attacks, Aontu, Arlene Foster, Author: Allan Armstrong, Border poll, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brexit Party, British jobs for British workers, Campaign for Socialism (Scotland`), Cardiff Bay, Caroline Lucas MP, Catalan Convergence and Union, Change UK, civic nationalism, Conservative Party, conservative unionism, constitutional nationalists, cultural devolution, Donald Trump, DUP, Emma Little Pengelly, England, ethnic nationalism, Extinction Rebellion, Gordon Brown, he Crown-in-parliament, Holyrood, Ian Murray, indyref2, Ireland, Irexit, Irish Freedom Party, Irish reunification, Islamophobia, Jess Phillips, Jewish Board of Deputies, Jo Swinson, John Finucane, Labour Party, Leo Varadkar, Lexit, Lib-Dems, liberal unionism, Lisa Nandy, Maybynism, Michael Gove, Minister of the Union, misogyny, Momentum, Neale Hanvey, neo-liberalism, Nicola Sturgeon, Nigel Dodds, Nigel Farage, Northern Ireland Executive, Partiton, People before Profit, Plaid Cymu, popular sovreignty, Progressive Unionist Party, reactionary unionism, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Red Paper Collective, Republic of Ireland, Richard Leonard, Right populism, Scotland, Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy, Scottish Resistance, SDLP, Sinn Fein, Siol nan Gaidheal, Sir Edward Carson, SNP, social democrats, Stormont, Stuart Campbell, The City of London, Theresa May, UKIP, UUP, Wales, Welsh Greens, Westminster, Wings Over Scotland, Zionists

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Dec 09 2019

THE RISE OF NATIONAL POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN THE RUN UP TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION

In the lead-up to the December 12th general election Allan Armstrong updates his analysis of the drift to the Right populist and reactionary unionist politics in the UK and what this possibly means for the future of the Union.

This is followed by an article by statement from the Radical Independence Campaign in Scotland on the general election.

Finally we are posting an article by Tony Greenstein, expelled Labour Party member from Brighton. He predicted the unexpected rise in support for Jeremy Corbyn in 2017, but thinks that Labour’s chances have declined in the run up to the December general election.

___________

THE CONTINUED RISE OF RIGHT POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM

IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION

(A fuller explanation of what is meant by Right national populism can be found in the article:- https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/right-populism-2.pdf

Neither the UK nor Great Britain have ever been unitary states. All forms of unionism are based upon the unionist nature of the UK state, which has recognised England, Scotland, Ireland (later Northern Ireland) and Wales as constituent units. This has led to the adoption of various forms of hybrid Britishness.

Three key terms used in this article are:-

Conservative unionism – This acknowledges the unionist nature of the UK state through administrative devolution (or later acceptance of liberal unionist devolutionary measures which it once opposed, but have become part of the status quo)

Liberal unionism – This also accepts the unionist nature of the UK state but promotes political devolution as a better method of holding the state together

Reactionary unionism – This upholds the UK state and openly celebrates its most repressive aspects. e.g. the crown powers, the armed forces and judiciary. It is also prepared to mobilise extra-constitutional force to prevent national self-determination, greater measures of political devolution, and reverse political devolution and even some administrative devolutionary measures that have already been accepted.) Continue reading “THE RISE OF NATIONAL POPULISM AND REACTIONARY UNIONISM IN THE RUN UP TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION”

Tags: 2014 IndyRef1, 2016 EU referendum, 2019 English local elections, 2019 EU elections, 2019 Northern Ireland local elections, All Under One Banner, All Under One Banner (Cymru), Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, Anti Austerity Alliance, Aontu, Author: Allan Armstrong, Better Together, Boris Johnson, Brecon & Radnorshire by-election, Brexit, Brexit Party, Committee for a Workers International, conservative unionism, constitutional nationalism, Corbynism, Criss Community Labour Alternative, December 12th general election, dissident Republicans, Dominic Cummings, Donald Trump, DUP, Greens (England and Wales), Gwylad Gwylad, indyref2, International Socialist Tendency, Irexit, Irish Freedom Party, Jeremy Corbyn, Jo Swinson, Just Say Naw!, Labour Party, Left Unity Party, Lexit, Lib-Dems, Liberal Democratic Party, liberal unionism, Loyalist paramilitaries, Mark, Northern Ireland Assembly - Stormont, Northern Ireland Executive, People before Profit, Peterborough by-election, Plaid Cymru, Progressive Unionist Party, reactionary unionism, Right populism, Scottish Greens, Scottish Parliament - Holyrood, Scottish Socialist Party, SDLP, Sinn Fein, SNP, Socialist Party (Ireland), Socialist Party England and Wales, Socialist Workers Network, Socialist Workers Party, Solidarity, Theresa May, Tories, Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, TUV, UKIP, UUP, Welsh Assembly - Cardiff Bay

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Oct 27 2019

THE FIGHT FOR SCOTLAND’S REPUBLIC

Category: Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,England,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Radical Independence Campaign,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,The EU,The Socialist Republican Break-up of the UK,UK state/British imperialism — RCN @ 2:05 pm

Below is the leaflet handed out by the Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Party at the Radical Independence Conference, attended by 500 in Glasgow, on Saturday, October 26th.

THE FIGHT FOR SCOTLAND’S REPUBLIC

Our Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) must not think that IndyRef2 will be a repeat of the 2014 referendum, this time with victory. ‘Brexit’ has changed the dynamic. On one side, the Scottish people voted to remain and will be forced out of the EU against their will. On the other side, English nationalism has become a political force, galvanised through ‘Brexit’, to defend British sovereignty represented by the Crown-In-Parliament.

Once England, Scotland and Wales are outside the single market and customs union a major economic barrier is raised in the minds of voters. A new economic Hadrian’s Wall will frighten or be used to frighten Scottish voters against leaving the British Union. Even if this only affects five or ten percent of voters this might still make a difference.

Catalonia and Greece have shown that the Scottish people should neither trust nor rely on the EU (i.e. Germany and France with or without the UK). The EU does not support national self determination which would undermine its alliance of states.

With the rise of English nationalism, the Scottish people will have to choose between and ethnic (anti-English) nationalism or civic republicanism. In 2014 the SNP stood on the ‘civic’ side but rejected republicanism or popular sovereignty by calling for Independence under the British Crown (and the Bank of England) with the Queen happily ensconced in Balmoral Castle visited by Alex Salmond.

RIC has to rise to the new situation and be more ‘up front’ and militant in its advocacy of Scotland’s republican democracy. It has to win the nationalist movement and the SNP to popular sovereignty as expressed through republicanism and national self determination. It cannot do this if its hides its democratic republican programme under a bush.

The Tories have signalled their intention to make the next election about the threat to British ‘democracy’ posed by Labour’s support for referenda on leaving the EU and IndyRef2. Labour is a loyal Unionist not a republican party. Although John McDonnell MP said he would accept a decision by the Scottish parliament for IndyRef2 this caused a storm and cannot be relied on.

In 2015 general election the Tories played an English nationalist card about the threat from the SNP which put Ed Miliband on the defensive and clinched Cameron’s victory. Expect the same again. Scotland’s republic cannot rely on the EU or Labour anymore. The experience of the Catalan republic is instructive.

Scotland’s future republic, as represented by RIC, must be built from the ground up in every village, town and city. It must openly advocate building links with republicans in England, Ireland and Wales and importantly the working class movement in England

Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Party

Continue reading “THE FIGHT FOR SCOTLAND’S REPUBLIC “

Tags: 2014 IndyRef1, Bank of England, Brexit, British Crown, Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Party, Catalonia, Customs Union, David Cameron, Ed Miliband, English nationalism, Greece, indyref2, John McDonnell, popular sovereignty, Radical Independence Campaign Conference - 26th October in Glasgow, Single Market

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Oct 22 2019

THE CONTRADICTIONS UNDERLYING BREXIT AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE

Category: Against Imperialism,Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,England,How they are organised,Ireland,Radical Independence Campaign,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,The EU,UK state/British imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 1:19 pm

Allan Armstrong sent this article to Conter, on September 13th, hoping to open up one of the debates on the Left in relation to Scottish independence, before and during the Radical Independence Campaign conference in Glasgow on October 26th. There has been no acknowledgement of this article by the Conter editor, despite Allan being a member of RISE, Conter‘s main sponsor. This seems to reflect a unwillingness, highlighted at the founding of RISE, to discuss controversial issues.

However, since then articles have appeared in Conter, or by RISE members writing for CommonSpace, which have been pro-Lexit. Allan’s article was written in an attempt to ensure that a fuller range of Left opinion was addressed on a specifically Socialist site claiming to promote wider debate. This could then contribute to the best traditions of RIC, where such controversial issues have been openly debated. A Left that is afraid to debate issues, in a democratic and respectful manner, is doomed to irrelevance.

Fortunately, both Socialist Resistance (http://socialistresistance.org/the-contradictions-underlying-brexit-and-scottish-independence/18211) and bella caledonia (https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/10/24/republican-internationalism-from-below/) have now posted this article.

THE CONTRADICTIONS UNDERLYING BREXIT AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE

To date articles in Conter addressing Brexit have concentrated more on the neo-liberal opposition, and those on the Left perceived to be tail-ending this section of the British ruling class. There has been no real analysis of the aims of the hard right and national populist advocates of Brexit, whether the Boris Johnson-led Tories, or the Nigel Farage-led UKIP and now his Brexit Party. Brexit has not been adequately placed in the context of the global rise of right national populism, highlighted by Donald Trump’s ‘Brexit, plus, plus, plus’, US presidential electoral victory in November 2016.[1] These people are still seen by some on the Left as political outsiders, despite now having their hands on the US state’s anti-democratic presidential powers and the UK state’s anti-democratic crown powers. Nor have the machinations of such ‘left’ Brexit union leaders as UNITE’s Len McCluskey been addressed.[2]

The RIC conference on 26.10.19

The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) has formed an important arena for discussing such issues.[3] Indeed RIC’s Scottish internationalism is highlighted on its banner – ‘Another Scotland is Possible; Another Europe is Possible; Another World is Possible’. Hopefully, the October 26^th RIC conference in Glasgow will extend this opportunity for discussion related to the situation we now face. Understanding the political forces, which the Left is up against, is essential, not only in the UK and wider world, but for us in Scotland, when we consider the future for Scottish independence. Continue reading “THE CONTRADICTIONS UNDERLYING BREXIT AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE”

Tags: "Brexit Plus Plus Plus", 'hostile environment', 1871 Paris Commune, Alex Salmond, All Under One Banner, Author: Allan Armstrong, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brexit Party, Brexiteers, Catalunya, CommonSpace, communes and soviets, Conter, Dominic Cummings, Donald Trump, DUP, England, EU, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, Euskadi, Ireland, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Labour Party, Len McCluskey, national sovereignty, Nigel Farage, Northern Ireland, Putin, Radical Independence Campaign, RISE, Schengen Agreement, Scotland, Scottish Resistance, SNP, Soil nan Gaidheal, sovereigntists, sovereignty of Crown in Parliament, sovereignty of the people, Theresa May, Tory Right, Troika, UKIP, Wings Over Scotland, ‘Another Scotland is Possible; Another Europe is Possible; Another World is Possible’

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