The Winds of Change at Gartymore

George Gunn is a signatory to the 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill. In this thought provoking article, first posted by bella caledonia, George argues that climate activists should take inspiration from the Highland Land League’s slogan “Is treasa tuath na tighearna” (The people are mightier than a lord.) Allan Armstrong adds his own comment at…

“The Sturgeon era is over: Now what?” and “What we have learned from the SNP leadership election”

Mike Small and Sean Bell are signatories to the 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill. Quite independently, they have been making their own observations and commentaries about the current political situation in Scotland in bella caledonia. Recently Mike has written, The Sturgeon era is over: Now what? and Sean has written What have we learned from…

‘Love is love’: LGBT lives and the fight to become Scotland’s First Minister

The following article, written by Kevin Guyan, was first posted by bella caledonia. It examines the different ways SNP leader contenders Kate Forbes and Ash Regan have promoted anti-trans politics. ‘LOVE IS LOVE’: LGBT LIVES AND THE FIGHT TO BECOME SCOTLAND’S FIRST MINISTER ‘Love is Love’, tweeted Ash Regan on the morning of 21 February,…

Announcing the 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill

The following article, written by Allan Armstrong for the Radical Independence Campaign, was first posted by bella caledonia  ANNOUNCING THE 2023 DECLARATION OF CALTON HILL On September 18th, November 2014, something truly remarkable in politics happened.  By the time of the Scottish independence referendum, held on that day, 97% of Scotland’s potential electorate had registered…

RIC reconstituted and the 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill

This is the conclusion of Completing Scotland’s Democratic Revolution, in which Allan Armstrong examines the legacy of  of Scotland’s 2014 Democratic Revolution and the 2023 Declaration of of Calton Hill, designed to complete that unfinished democratic revolution. RIC RECONSTITUTED AND THE 2003 DECLARATION OF CALTON HILL After the attempted shutdown on 17.1.21[1] the Radical Independence Campaign (RIC)…

Just when you thought Britain couldn’t get more racist, the Tories bring in the Illegal Migration Bill

The following article by Eliza Egret was first posted by The Canary.  It outlines the Tories’ latest attack on migrants in their ‘Brexit Britain’. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THE BRITAIN COULDN’T GET MORE RACIST, THE TORIES BRING IN THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILL Rishi Sunak has announced that refugees arriving into the UK by small boats…

Kate Forbes’ economic agenda is just as dangerous as her conservative views

Adam Ramsay first posted this article on openDemocracy. He argues that Scotland’s poorest would likely be worse off under the leadership of the SNP finance minister. KATE FORBES’ ECONOMIC AGENDA IS JUST AS DANGEROUS AS HER CONSERVATIVE VIEWS There has so far been little focus on Kate Forbes’ economic policies.  There has, rightly, been a lot…

Offshore energy workers lay out their vision for the future in a just transition plan

The following article written by Tracy Keeling was first posted by The Canary. On this offshore energy workers and their allies lay out their vision for the future in a just transition plan. OFFSHORE ENERGY WORKERS LAY OUT THEIR VISION FOR A JUST TRANSITION PLAN Offshore oil and gas workers revealed their plan for a…

For a republican all-islands coalition (update)

In March 2022, Allan Armstrong announced the intention to write three reviews of books written in Ireland addressing the current political situation Socialists face there.  The purpose in doing this has been to build the case for an all-islands, republican internationalist coalition to challenge the UK state and its imperial allies.  These have now been…

Declarations of Love: review by Mary McGregor

Mary McGregor reviews Declarations of Love, poems of Jim Aitken, with drawings by  Martin Gollan. Thos book is published by Culture Matters.  DECLARATIONS OF LOVE Jim Aitken is truly a people’s poet. No allusions so obscure that you need volumes of classical texts to decipher. No pretensions of language so convoluted that you need a…