The Ghost Of James Connolly – Book Launch

THE GHOST OF JAMES CONNOLLY James Connolly and Edinburgh’s New Trade Union, Independent Labour and Socialist Movements(1890-96) James Connolly’s role in Irish history is well known and celebrated. However, Connolly also played a prominent part in the ‘New Union’, independent Labour and Socialist movements in Edinburgh. Allan Armstrong, who conducts Radical Walks in the city, has…

2nd Radical Independence Conference – ‘After The UK: The Future Of 4 Nations’

The RCN received the unanimous backing of the Edinburgh branch of RIC to ask the RIC National Steering Committee to organise a session at the second national RIC conference on November 23rd in Glasgow, entitled ‘The break-up of the UK – the case for ‘internationalism from below’’. This was then unanimously agreed by the Steering Committee, subject to…

2nd Radical Independence Conference ‘Emancipation & Liberation’ Special

Our Emancipation & Liberation Radical Independence Conference Special will be available at the conference on Saturday, November 23rd.     CONTENTS   Editorial(also posted below) Scottish Self-Determination: For a Scottish Wannabe Ruling Class or for Scotland’s People? – RCN Why is Venezuela relevant to Scotland’s Radical Independence Movement? – Ewan Robertson Women and Independence –…

The Radical Independence Campaign – ‘Emancipation & Liberation’ specials

We are posting a new link to an electronic version of the special issue of Emancipation & Liberation the RCN produced for last year’s Radical Independence Conference. This will provide some basis for assessing the changes which have occurred in the political situation in Scotland over the last year, and how RIC has met the…

100th Anniversary Of The Dublin Lockout

Jim Slaven of the James Connolly Society has written the following article on the 100th anniversary of The Dublin Lock-Out. The leadership of the Irish Transport & General Workers Union provided by Jim Larkin and James Connolly in the face of Dublin boss, William Murphy Murphy, stands in marked contrast to that of Len McCluskey…

Republican Socialist Alliance

Below is a report of the meeting of the Republican Socialist Alliance held in London on 6th July, written by Steve Freeman. This includes a summary of the address given by Allan Armstrong (RCN) on the political implications of the unionist nature of the UK state. It is followed by the unedited version of this talk.…

An Orgy Of Orange Bigotry And Unionist Hypocrisy

Since the Flag Protests, beginning at the end of last year, there has been a rising tide of Loyalist violence. Sometimes this has been criticised by leading Unionist spokespersons, but in many cases they have encouraged these Loyalist protests behind-the-scenes. This is because they have the same aims – the reassertion of Unionist supremacy and the relegation…

Behind The Unionists’ ‘Project Fear’, The UK State Mask Slips

Allan Armstrong (RCN) analyses two recent developments in the Scottish referendum campaign. The SNP government’s referendum on the future constitutional status of Scotland – ‘Yes’ for ‘Independence-Lite’ (or as Michael Russell terms it ‘Independence within the Union’), or ‘No’ for acceptance of the UK status quo – is still over a year away. However, two events…

Republic Day Speech

Allan Armstrong (RCN) was invited by the James Connolly Society to speak on behalf of the Edinburgh branch of the Radical Independence Campaign at the Republic Day commemoration on April 24th at the Connolly plaque in the Cowgate, Edinburgh. I would like to thank the James Connolly Society and the 1916 Societies for inviting the…

Riding Two Horses At Once – The SWP and Scottish independence

The following extended review of Keir McKechnie’s pamphlet, Scotland – Yes to Independence: No to Nationalism, was started before the most recent crisis in the SWP became public. Until the SWP resolves this crisis, its political interventions are likely to have more limited impact on the Left than in the past. Socialists should support those…