There has been much talk recently from George Osborne about economic recovery in the UK, demonstrated in a rise in employment figures. That many of these jobs are on zero hours or other part-time contracts, and that the largest group dependent now on benefits are the low paid jobs, highlights the reality of life in ‘Food Bank…
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…
Irish Budget 2014 – A Budget Of Smoke And Mirrors, Advancing An Agenda Of Barbarism
The mainstream Irish press claims the economic crisis has bottomed out in Ireland, and the economy is on the road to recovery. This article from from the Socialist Democracy (Ireland) outline the reality, particularly for the Irish working class. The extent to which the ideology of austerity has been engrained in Irish society is reflected in the expression of relief that…
The Wider Significance Of ‘Agenda For Change’ In The NHS
Performance-related pay has become a central part go the employers’ armoury to lower pay and undermine union organisation. We are publishing the article below from the Anarchist Federation outlining the intentions of the government’s Agenda for Change in the NHS Representatives of the approximately 20 trade unions who collectively bargain for workers within the NHS have been negotiating at…
New Issue of ‘resistance’ from the Irish Socialist Network
Issue no. 18 of resistance the Irish Socialist Network (http://www.irishsocialist.net) for the Winter of 2013-14 is now out. The articles include:- Labour Goes From Boom to Bust – by Kevin Quinn (ISN) Demanding a Future for Young People – S. Fitzgerald and M. Murphy Roma case exposes state racism – Aindrias O’Cathasaigh Greeks Bearing Lessons…
Republican Socialism And Left Unity
Steve Freeman of the Republican Socialist Alliance in England spoke, along with Bernadette McAliskey and Mary McGregor (RCN) at the ‘break-up of the UK’ session at the Radical Independence Conference on 23rd November in Glasgow. The following week on November 30th in London Steve spoke at the Left Unity Party founding conference putting the case for…
Freedom Come All Ye – The New RCN Banner
The four portraits on the Republican Communist Network banner provide good examples of the historical tradition we come from. These people have been chosen as representative of many others, whose names have often gone unrecorded, yet who have contributed to the struggle for human emancipation, liberation and self-determination. Each individual highlights different aspects of our…
Nelson Mandela – Two Views Of His Legacy
MANDELA WILL NEVER BE YOUR MINSTREL Dear revisionists, Mandela will never, ever be your minstrel. Over the next few days you will try so, so hard to make him something he was not, and you will fail. You will try to smooth him, to sandblast him, to take away his Malcolm X. You will try…
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…