The following article on sleaze and corruption in British politics by Adam Ramsay was first posted by OpenDemocracy. BRITISH POLITICS IS AN OLIGARCHS’ COCKTAIL PARTY – TORY MINISTERS RE THE WAITERS The recent onslaught of government sleaze shows once again why the UK has been called ‘the most corrupt country in the world’. With the…
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…
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/2021/11/breaking-up-the-british-state-part-2.pdf Contents This posting covers the Introduction and Contents of the…
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…
The SWP and Scottish independence – part 1, Breakin’ up is so hard to do
The following post includes the Contents and the Introduction of the first part of the review by Allan Armstrong of Breaking up the British state – Scotland, Independence & Socialism, editors, Bob Fotheringham, Dave Sherry and Colm Bryce. The full review of Part 1 can be read at: https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2021/11/breaking-up-the-british-state-1.pdf THE SWP AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE Part…
Its the constitution stupid!
This article by Allan Armstrong (RCF) looks at the aftermath of the May 6th elections in Scotland, Wales and England, the current situation in Northern Ireland, and then to the political significance of new movements from below across these islands, culminating in the people of Govanhill challenging the UK state’s Home Office Border Agency’s attempted…
The power grab of the queen’s speech
This article by Mike Small was first posted on bella caledonia. It outlines the Tory government’s plans to bring the politics of Brexit Britain closer to the authoritarian Right in Eastern Europe, coupled to their attempts to bury its own murderous past in Ireland. At the State Opening of Parliament today the full-farce of Britain’s…
Brexit Britain – a new police state?
The following article on the slide of Brexit Britain to an authoritarian state was was first published by Socialist Democracy (Ireland). The Tory government’s proposed anti-crime Bill has seen a number of mobilisations across Britain. Covid rules and fierce police enforcement have limited street demonstrations, but that has started to break down. Protest is seen…
Pimlico Academy students destroy Tory myths on racism
Recent events in England at Clapham Bandstand and Bristol have shown a growing resistance to the attempts to resist the post-Brexit strengthening of the UK state. Unlike Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, where constitutional nationalist parties have tried to head off wider opposition to the UK state, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has meekly bowed…