The Republican Communist Network supports the creation of an independent Scottish Socialist Republic as a significant step towards communism. We look to and would support a Federation of European Socialist States. Our support is for a genuinely independent Republic, not a sham façade that presents a Scottish nationalism that settles for symbols, not substance. A…
Martin McGuinness Shakes Hands With Elizabrit
éirígí’s Rúnaí Ginearálta, Breandán Mac Cionnaith, has responded to the decision by the Sinn Féin leadership to endorse a meeting with the British queen, Elizabeth Windsor, commander-in-chief of Britain’s armed forces. Mac Cionnaith said, “The decision by Sinn Féin to meet with the British queen is not in the least unsurprising, unanticipated or unexpected. However,…
Why The Independence Referendum Is Being Turned Into One On NATO
Murdo Ritchie looks at what is behind the SNP leadership’s move to drop party policy against NATO. The coming referendum on Scottish independence is rapidly being turned into one on NATO membership too. It is consciously being used to shape the future character of Scotland’s relationship with the principal nuclear weapons powers. Supposedly, only a…
Marian Price Campaign
FROM BELMARSH TO BELFAST Bernadette Devlin McAliskey civil rights activist, witness to Bloody Sunday, leading spokesperson for Smash H-Block campaign in 1980-81 and former MP for mid-Ulster spoke at a Glasgow meeting on 14th June 2012 entitled From Belfast to Belmarsh which called for the end to internment and detention without trial, freedom for Marian…
Why I rejected my MBE
Bob Holman talks about why he rejected his offered MBE I am an egalitarian. I believe that a socially and materially equal society is more united, content and just. The royal honours system is designed to promote differences of status. It is made clear that those who are made knights or dames are socially superior…
The ‘Independence-Lite’ Referendum And A Tale Of Two Campaigns
The SNP‘s ‘Yes, Please’ And The Left Nationalists’ ‘Yes, But…’ Tale No. 1 – the launch of the SNP’s Yes campaign Alex Salmond launched the ‘Yes’ campaign for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum at Cineworld in Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge on the morning of Friday, May 25th. Apart from the delayed start, this media orientated event, attended…
Socialist Republicanism And The Diamond Jubilee
The RCN is posting four pieces as a contribution to the debate on a socialist republican the Diamond Jubilee. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Republicanism Socialism and Democracy The Crown Rules Britannia The Queen: Floating in the Stink 1. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee “Maud Gonne joined with James Connolly in…
Price Demonstration Shows Growing Anger At The Return Of Internment
The Belfast demonstration in support of Marian Price on the 27th of May should give pause to the British government and to local politicians. The size of the demonstration; 4000 to 5000, and the number of young people involved shows the growing levels of concern and anger at the internment of Marian and a growing…
Pass the Sickbag!
Salmond and the Royal Jubilee I am looking forward to a fantastic weekend of celebrations right across Scotland to mark The Queen’s 60 years of loyal service on the occasion of Her Diamond Jubilee. Her Majesty has been, and contributes to be, a great friend of Scotland, offering her subjects unparalleled dedication and integrity as…
What Do The May 5th Local Election Results Mean In Scotland?
This article was first written for socialists in England and Wales. It has been published on the commune website, and issue 23 of Permanent Revolution, in slightly edited forms. The Scottish local council elections, held on May 5th, have attracted much wider interest than would normally normally be the case for such an event. The primary…