Emancipation & Liberation

Oct 10 2020

FROM GREY TO RED GRANITE – Viewing the Left, the Scottish Question and the Nature of the UK State through the Lens of Neil Davidson’s Writings and Political Work

Below are the Contents and Introduction to Allan Armstrong’s article, From Grey Granite to Red Granite – Viewing the Left, the Scottish Question and the Nature of the UK state through the Lens of Neil Davidson’s Writings and Political Work.

The full article can be read at:-

https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/from-grey-to-red-granite-4.pdf

Neil Davidson speaks to a socialist conference in Athens

Allan Armstrong speaks to a James Connolly walking tour in Edinburgh

FROM GREY TO RED GRANITE

Viewing the Left, the Scottish Question and the Nature of the UK state through the Lens of Neil Davidson’s Writings and Political Work

Allan Armstrong

________

Contents

Continue reading “FROM GREY TO RED GRANITE – Viewing the Left, the Scottish Question and the Nature of the UK State through the Lens of Neil Davidson’s Writings and Political Work”

Tags: 'Think Tankism', 1692-1740, Aberdeen University, Author: Allan Armstrong, Combined and Uneven Development, Emancipation & Liberation, England, EU - In or Out?, Grey Granite, International Socialism Scotland, Ireland, Isaac Deutscher Memorial Prize, James Connolly, movementism, Neil Davidson, Radical Independence Campaign, Red Granite, Republican Communist Network, Republican Workers Tendency, Revolutionary Democratic Group, RS21, Scotland, Solidarity, SSP, SWP, Ten Years After – the Revolutionary Left in Scotland, The Discovery of the Scottish Revolution, The Scottish Republic – What is Real Democracy?, University of Glasgow’s Socialist Theory and Movements Research Network, Wales

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Sep 03 2020

LABOUR’S HISTORIC DEFEAT IN SCOTLAND

Category: Against Unionism,England,How they are organised,Ireland,Scotland,UK state/British imperialism — RCN @ 4:46 pm

We are posting this article by Steve Freeman first posted on the Republican Socialist Alliance outlining, mainly for the benefit of republican socialists in England, the Scottish dimension of ‘Labour’s historic defeat’.

LABOUR’S HISTORIC DEFEAT IN SCOTLAND

Stunned?
Resting?
Pining for the ‘Spirit of 45’?

You may remember the famous Monty Python sketch about a parrot returned by a dissatisfied customer, John Cleese, to the pet-shop run by Michael Palin. As Cleese enters the shop, Palin says, “We are closing for lunch”. Cleese says “Never mind that, my lad, I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.” Palin replies “oh yes, the, ur, the Norwegian Blue. What, uh, what is wrong with it”. “I tell you what’s wrong with it, my lad,” says Cleese, “E’s dead, that’s what is wrong with it”.“No, no e’s uh…. he’s resting” claims Palin. Continue reading “LABOUR’S HISTORIC DEFEAT IN SCOTLAND”

Tags: 1688 Glorious Revolution, 1707 Act Of Union, 1801 Act of Union, 1913 Scottish Home Rule Bill, 2014 IndyRef1, 2016 EU referendum, Absolutist France, Alec Douglas-Home, Author: Steve Freeman, Battle of Britain, Bonar Law, Brexit, British Empire, British Labour Party, Conervatives v. Liberals, Conservative & Unionist Party, Conservatives v. Labour, Crown-in-Parliament, David Cameron, Degenerated Social Monarchy, Elector of Hanover, England, European Union, HM Treasury, Jacobite Risings, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Together Report, Labour's historic defeat, Margaret Thatcher, neo-liberalism, Nicola Sturgeon, North Sea Oil, Northern Ireland, NUM, Protestantism, Ridley Plan, Ruth Davidson, Scottish Labour Party, slave trade, SNP, social monarchy, Tony Blair, Tories v. Whigs, Unionists and Nationalists, United Kingdom, Wales

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Aug 15 2020

THE CASE FOR A REPUBLICAN INTERNATIONALIST COALITION FOR SCOTLAND’S INDEPENDENCE

Category: Against Imperialism,Against Unionism,Combined struggles for Emancipation, Liberation and National Self-Determination,England,For Emancipation: Struggles against Exploitation,For Liberation: Struggles against Oppression,For Self-Determination: Struggles against Alienation,How they are organised,How we organise,Independent class organisations,Ireland,Radical Independence Campaign,Scotland,The crisis on the Left,UK state/British imperialism,Wales — RCN @ 10:16 pm

THE CASE FOR A REPUBLICAN INTERNATIONALIST COALITION FOR SCOTLAND’S INDEPENDENCE

Banner made when Edinburgh RIC hosted the the national RIC contingent on the ‘All Under One Banner’ demonstration on 6.10.18

a. The Radical Independence Campaign

An examination of the wording of the initials and principles of the Radical Independence Campaign is instructive.

R = Radical, I = Independence, C = Campaign

Each one of these terms is ambiguous. Continue reading “THE CASE FOR A REPUBLICAN INTERNATIONALIST COALITION FOR SCOTLAND’S INDEPENDENCE”

Tags: 'party' sects, 'Yes' campaign, 1999 Battle of Seattle, 2014 IndyRef1, 2016 EU referendum, 214 Scottish independence referendum, Advisory Report on Economic Recovery, Alex Salmond, All Under One Banner, Alliance Party, Anarchists, Andrew Wilson, Andy Wightman, Another Europe Is Possible, Another Scotland Is Possible, Another World Is Possible, Author: Allan Armstrong, Benny Higgins, Bertie Armstrong, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brexit Party, Catalunya, Coalition of Resistance, conservative unionism, constitutional nationalism, Covid-19, Crown Powers, December 12th Westminster general election, Devolution-all-round, Donald Trump, DUP, Euskadi, February 8th Irish Dial general election, Gaelic language, Globalise Resistance, Greece, Independece for Scotland Party, Indy-Lite, indyref2, International Socialist Group (Scotland), Internationalism From Below, Jeremy Corbyn, Joanna Cherry, Kurds, liberal unionism, movementism, NATO, neo-liberalism, Nicols Sturgeon, Nigel Farage, Plaid Cymru, Radical Independence Campaign, reactionary unionism, republican internationalist coalition, Republicanism, Rev. Stuart Campbell, Right populism, Ruth Davidson, Scottiah government, Scottish Greens, Scottish Labour Party, SDLP, Sinn Fein, SNP, Socialist Party, sovereignty of Crown in Westminster, sovereignty of the people, Sustainable Growth Commission, SWP, The Troika, Tommy Sheridan, Tories, transgender rights, Trident, UKIP, Unite Against Fascism, Welsh Labour Party, Wings Over Scotland

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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/ 08/ dec12th-covid-19-and-blm-scotland2-2.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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