A Scottish internationalist and republican approach – Republican Communist Network, Platform in the SSP 1. Introduction After February 15th, 2003 – the ruling class counter-offensive Many socialists, participating in the massive global anti-war protests on February 15th 2003, held high hopes after decades of retreat by the working class and oppressed peoples across the world.…
A talk given by John Wight (Scottish Socialist Party) at the G8 Alternatives Summit on July 3rd 2005 in Edinburgh
Greetings. Over a three year period, whilst based in the US, I was privileged to represent the IRSM at various events all over Southern California. My role there was to solidify and strengthen solidarity and fraternal links between the Irish struggle and the struggles of oppressed peoples taking place within and without the US. I…
The Scottish Executive’s ‘Sectarian’ Smokescreen
This article is from the Republican Communist bulletin produced for this year’s Edinburgh James Connolly march Political attacks on Republicans It is 12 years since the old Lothian Region Labour group banned Edinburgh’s James Connolly March. Following the 1993 show of defiance in Broughton Street, we won the right to march. However, our annual commemoration…
Learning from the General Election
Mary McGregor assesses the outcome of the 2005 general election campaign The UK general election on May 6th already seems a distant memory. It came, went and nothing much seemed to change. Tony Blair was re-elected with a majority of 66 seats. This was slashed from a 166 seat majority at the 2001 election but…
2005 Motion to National Conference – Passed
Independence Convention This conference agrees that the SSP should seek support from other organisations invited or participating in the setting up of the Scottish Independence Convention for the following principles: a) the creation of a sovereign democratic Scottish republic with the abolition of all Crown Powers. b) a declaration of Scotland’s military neutrality and withdrawal…
Discovering the Scottish Revolution 1692 – 1746: A critique
Gordan Morgan is a national office bearer of the Scottish Socialist Party. He also belongs to the International Socialist Group, a section of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International. Here he takes issue, both with Neil Davidson’s Discovering the Scottish Revolution and Allan Armstrong’s earlier Emancipation and Liberation review. My thanks to Allan Armstrong…
Highlandism and the Politics of Geography
Alistair Livingston is a historian living in Galloway. He contributed to BBC Radio Scotland’s acclaimed series – The Lowland Clearances. Here he comments on Allan Armstrong’s Beyond Broadswords and Bayonets Having lived for 10 years in Hackney, east London (population 200,000) and then returning to Castle Douglas, south-west Scotland (population 3800), the contrast between these…
For an Anti-Imperialist Front
This article first appeared in Scottish Workers Republic (paper of the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement) Winter 2004 edition Is the Independence Convention (IC) a positive step forwards towards an independent socialist Scotland? It is argued that what’s needed is the coming together of the various pro-independence forces to face down the pro-Unionist media and state.…
Full Marks For Republican Initiative
Following the success of the October 9th Calton Hill demonstration, the RCN puts the case for the Scottish Independence Convention to be built on republican principles. RCN Resolution to SSP conference February 2005 The impact of the October 9th Calton Hill Demonstration The Calton Hill Declaration and the demonstration, on October 9th, opposing the official…
The Declaration of Calton Hill and the Scottish Independence Convention
Text of leaflet produced and distributed by RCN (Scotland) for the Declaration of Calton Hill event on October 9th Today’s Declaration of Calton Hill will be welcomed by freedom-loving democrats. What a contrast to all the toadying surrounding that alternative event – the royal opening of the Westminster sub-office next to Holyrood Palace and its…