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…

Radical Independence Campaign asserts the sovereignty of the people

Bob Goupillot reports on the RIC organised protest at Queen Elizabeth House or BOSS (British Occupied Subject Scotland) on Thursday, November 23rd, to challenge the UK Supreme Court’s anti-democratic decision to deny Scotland the  independence referendum voted for by the majority of people in Scotland  in the 2021 Holyrood election. RADICAL INDEPENDENCE CAMPAIGN ASSERTS THE…

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…

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…

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…

Gerrard Winstanley: Christian communism

The following article on Gerrard Winstanley outlines how Winstanley became to be seen as a key  figure in a linger historical ccommunist tradition. It was written by John Gurney and first posted by The Tribune. GERRARD WINSTANLEY: CHRISTIAN COMMUNISM For Diggers leader Gerrard Winstanley, any Christianity which focused on individual salvation was bankrupt – Christ’s…

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…

Conditions not conspiracies: why workers strike

The following two articles examines the role of the nationalist right in trying to undermine workers’ struggles in Scotland. The first by  posted by bella caledonia. The second is letter to The National by Simon Barrow  of the SNP trade union group.  1. CONFLICT NOT CONSPIRACIES: WHY WORKERS STRIKE Picket lines of largely middle-aged working-class…