Police intimidation at Cop26

We are posting two pieces concerning the police intimidation and kettling of the Young Communist League contingent on the Cop26 demonstration in Glasgow on November 6th.  The first is by Mike Small of bella caledonia; the second is a statement from the YCL Central Committee.    1. POLICE INTIMIDATION AT COP-26 Saturday saw one of…

Crossing the Rubicon – Sinn Fein becomes Fianna Fail mark II

The following article was first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland). It reports on the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in October CROSSING THE RUBICON With vote on non-jury courts, Sinn Féin finally morphs into Fianna Fail mark II Leader Mary Lou McDonald at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis at the Helix in Dublin. Resolution number 21…

Back to the past – again

James Harvey wrote the following article for Weekly Worker. It looks at the political significance of Tory government’s attempts to unravel the post-Brexit Protocol they signed up for over relationships with the EU and Ireland. BACK TO THE PAST – AGAIN Last week saw just the latest twist in the continuing stand-off between the British government…

What does the union flag tell us about the UK?

Allan Armstrong has rewritten the introduction to the first part of his book, From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit. In this he takes a closer look at the history of the UK’s Union Flag. WHAT DOES THE UNION FLAG TELL US ABOUT THE UK? Today, even the United Kingdom’s most diehard defenders realise their state may not…

On police violence

The following article written by Mike Small on police violence in Great Britain, including Scotland, first appeared in  bella caledonia   ON POLICE VIOLENCE The state holds the monopoly on violence in our society. We can talk about male violence but the murder of Sarah Everard is also state violence and needs to be seen in both contexts. A…

Dublin bus workers reject union backed deal on pay and conditions

This article first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland) outlines the growing tensions between rank and file workers and union bureaucrats in the Dublin bus workers dispute accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic. DUBLIN BUS WORKERS REJECT UNION BACKED DEAL ON PAY AND CONDITIONS Union leaders’ plan puts all workers inside the privatisation rules It barely more…

Gaslighting the public: serial deceptions by the state-corporate media

The following article on the role of political journalists in the state media was first posted by media lens GASLIGHTING THE PUBLIC: SERIAL DECEPTION BY THE STATE-CORPORATE MEDIA During last week’s Tory Cabinet reshuffle, ITV political editor Robert Peston inadvertently summed up the primary function of political journalists: ‘I simply pass on’ His tweet was in reference…

Tory recklessness, unionist bigotry edge Good Friday Agreement towards collapse

Thus article first posted by Socialist Democracy (Ireland) highlights the renewed alliance between the Tory government and the DUP in their attempts to cement the their authoritarian populist and reactionary unionist project in the aftermath of Brexit.   TORY RECKLESSNESS, UNIONIST BIGOTRY EDGE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT TOWARDS COLLAPSE Those seeking to understand why DUP leader…

The SWP and Scottish independence – Part 2, To party or not to party?

This posting  covers the Introduction and Contents of the second part of Allan Armstrong’s review of the book, Breaking up the British state, Scotland, Independence and Socialism, edited by Bob Fotheringham, Dave Sherry & Colm Bryce of the SWP. The full article can be seen at:- https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/breaking-up-the-british-state-part-2.pdf Contents This posting  covers the Introduction and Contents of the second…

British government threatens to renege on N.I. Protocol

The following article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) highlights the political forces behind the current dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol   BRITISH GOVERNMENT THREATENS TO RENEGE ON N.I. PROTOCOL The British government has set out its proposals for the “reform” of the NI Protocol which regulates trade between GB, Northern Ireland and the EU.   Under…