The following two articles were written in response to Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of the situation in Gaza over the SNP motion at Westminster. The first, written by George Gunn was posted in bella caledonia. The second was written by Adam Ramsay and was first posted by openDemocracy. A) MEETING THE GAZE OF THE GHOST…
Sinn Féin, the IRA and the betrayal of the Palestinians
In this hard hitting article by Georoid O’Loingsigh, first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland), he exposes the hypocrisy behind the Sinn Fein leadership, over its stance on Palestine and its kowtowing to Biden’s US imperialism. SINN FEIN, THE IRA AND THE PALESTINIANS Following a peace process in which the armed group, which is not the…
Memories of Alan Boylan
MEMORIES OF ALAN BOYLAN (1957 – 2024) In 1996, when socialists and communists across Scotland formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance, a larger-than-life figure came into our lives. Alan Boylan was at that time a member of the SNP Trade Union Group. A loud, brash, working class Dundonian, Alan was looking for answers and was being…
The John Maclean Centenary Concert
The following article was written by Jim Aitken and was first posted by Culture Matters. It spotlights the exceptional concert held as part of Celtic Connections in Glasgow’s Concert Hall. THE JOHN MACLEAN CENTENARY CONCERT Celtic Connections put on a wonderful concert recently, in memory of Scotland’s great Marxist revolutionary, John Maclean (1879 -1923). Glasgow’s magnificent…
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…
Media, migrants and mobs in Dublin
Anne McShane wrote this response to the racist riots in Dublin in November 23rd , which was first posted by Weekly Worker. She argues that People Before Profit says the state is soft on far-right groups, but failure to deal with the housing crisis is the main problem. MEDIA, MIGRANTS AND MOBS Dublin hit the…
Bernadette McAliskey on Nationalism and the Far Right
The following podcast was made of Bernadette McAliskey’s contribution to the ‘We Only Want the Earth’ weekend school held on Inis Oirr. It was reposted by bella caledonia on 24.11.23. BERNADETTE MCALISKEY ON NATIONALISM AND THE FAR RIGHT ___________ also see:- To Scotland with love: A report from the ‘London Says Yes’ rally on…
From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit – The forging and the break-up of the UK and Britishness
FROM PRE-BRIT TO EX BRIT: THE FORGING AND THE BREAK- UP OF THE UK AND BRITISHNESS An index with page numbering has been added to make sections of this six part book easier to read on the screen. https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/from-pre-brit-to-ex-brit-2024.pdf _______ also see: E-Books
William Cuffay – the Chartists’ black leader
The following article was written by Tom Scriven, a historian of Chartism, socialism and 19th century radicals. This article first appeared in The Tribune. WILLIAM CUFFAY- THE CHARTISTS’ BLACK LEADER The son of a freed slave, William Cuffay played a key role in the struggle for democracy in Britain. A country which respected its history…