Reprinted from Issue no. 64, Nov/Dec 2005, of Class Struggle, produced by the International Communist Union (Trotskyist) More than 5 years ago, on 7 May 2000, British troops landed in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. This was the first major intervention by the British army in sub-Saharan Africa since the end of its bloody…
The British Left and the Irish Struggle
Former Sinn Féin member, Philip Ferguson, has written an important article, Behind the betrayal, showing both the significance of the Irish national liberation struggle against the British state, and a critique of the politics of its leadership. However, he also points out the much greater failings of the British left, when it came to offering…
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…
Paisley triumphant as UUP implodes
by John McAnulty (Socialist Democracy, Belfast) When the leader of Ulster Unionism, David Trimble, is defeated at the polls by over 5000 votes in favour of a hymn-singing local meat plant owner and subsequently resigns as UUP leader we can be sure that something historic is happening. The swing of 45% effected by Jeffrey Donaldson…
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…
Basketball rules in Palestine
Written by Dror Feiler, an ex-Israeli para from kibbutz Yad Hanna, now living in Sweden. He is a member of European Jews for a Just Peace. Published in New Interventions, Volume 12, no.1, Spring 2005. Israelis have the right to play on both sides of the court, whereas Palestinians can only play on their own…
Human rights abuses continue in Turkey
The Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which had once dominated south-eastern Europe and most of the Middle East, as well as what is now Turkey. The first president was Kemal Ataturk, the only important Turkish general never to be defeated in World War 1, when the…
Our Day Will Come!
Opposing the Imperial and Corporate Plan for the North Atlantic Region G8 protestors will visit a ‘strange state’ and a ‘peculiar country’ This July, socialists and communists will figure prominently amongst the international visitors coming to Edinburgh and Gleneagles to protest against the latest G8 summit. Many will pass through ‘her majesty’s passport control as…
Make Poverty History, Make Capitalism History, Fight For Socialism Today
Nick Clarke examines the reality behind the G8 agenda and looks at the alternative Blair’s presidency As the leaders of the G8 countries, together with their overpaid, overfed and self important delegations, meet at the luxurious Gleneagles estate in the Perthshire countryside, we welcome protesters to Scotland from a myriad of campaigns, pressure groups and…
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…