Let’s All End Our Abusive Relationship With The UK State

Below is the lead article from the Republican Communist Network RIC Special Bulletin, first distributed at the RIC National Forum in Perth, on March 29th. This was handed out along with the Republican Socialist Alliance bulletin, Hands off the people of Scotland (Hands Off The People Of Scotland – Solidarity From England) made for the Left…

Hands Off The People Of Scotland – Solidarity From England

The following motion will be placed before the Left Unity Conference in Manchester on March 29th. It was initiated by members of the Republican Socialist Alliance in England. Steve Freeman, of the RSA, addressed the RIC National Conference in Glasgow on November 23rd, 2013. The Daily Telegraph (16 March 2014) claimed that the 2015 general election would be…

On How The Vestigial Left Is Failing To Understand The Political Life Of Scotland Today

Murdo Ritchie (RCN) provides his response to the Red Paper Collective’s critique of the Scottish SNP government’s White Paper. THE RED PAPER ON THE WHITE PAPER or HOW NOT TO UNDERSTAND CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE As moves toward Scottish national independence happen, the “mainstream” camps have presented their visions, but on the fringes lots of different illusions…

Republican socialist candidate for the executive of the Left Unity Party

Steve Freeman of the Republican Socialist Alliance is standing as for the Executive of the Left Unity Party. Steve spoke, along with Bernadette McAliskey and Mary McGregor (RCN) at the 4 Nations After the UK session at the Radical Independence Campaign conference in Glasgow on 23rd November. This is the statement he has produced for…

Republican Socialist Alliance In England Responds To Cameron And Osborne

Below we are posting the statement agreed by the RSA Steering Committee in London on Feb. 14th in response to Cameron and Osborne. This is followed by a statement of solidarity sent to republican socialist organisations in Scotland by Steve Freeman, member of the Republican Socialist Alliance and Left Unity Party in England. He was a…

A Review of Jim Sillars’ ‘In Place Of Fear II’ by Gerry Hassan

If much of the Left in England has become all nostalgic about Old Labour following Ken Loach’s The Spirit of ’45, then much of the Left in Scotland, both in and out of the Labour Left, look back to Scottish Labour’s ‘glory days’ in the 1970’s. Here Gerry Hassan reviews dissident SNP member, Jim Sillar’s…

The SNP And Scottish Independence

Eric Chester (RCN) outlines some of the problems that the SNP government’s White Paper Independence-Lite proposals would pose for genuine Scottish self-determination. As the referendum campaign unfolds, it becomes increasingly obvious that Alex Salmond and the SNP have no interest in a truly independent Scotland. Instead, a ‘yes’ vote is a vote to authorize Salmond to…

‘Just Say Naw’ To Galloway’s Sectarian British Unionism

Bella caledonia posted an article by Richard Cameron (RCN and Edinburgh RIC) outlining the politics behind George Galloway’s Just Say Naw Scottish road tour (see Just Say Naw – To Galloway’s Sectarian British Unionism). Given the short time to write this article a number of errors appeared, none of which affected the overall arguments presented. However, Richard…

Alex Salmond And The Written Constitution

Murdo Ritchie, a new member of the RCN, writes about the political significance of the issue of a written constitution raised the SNP government’s White Paper. Although the First Minister has abandoned the SNP’s commitments to referenda on a future independent Scotland’s membership of NATO and the European Union as well as continuing the current…