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…

DUP Bigots Move To Restrict Abortion Rights

After the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar in pregnancy, after being admitted to Galway Hospital and refused an abortion, most socialists are aware of the reactionary role of the Catholic hierarchy over women’s rights in Ireland (see Ireland and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act/). The following article, written by J. M. Thorn of Socialist…

Socialist Unity – The RCN Asks 12 Questions

The RCN has been involved in preliminary discussions with Frontline, the International Socialist Group (Scotland), individual members of the International Socialist Network and Defense of Our Party faction in the SWP, as well as other individuals mainly from an SSP background. Frontline published the views a number of socialist organisations, which we reposted at Socialist Unity. Stemming…

This Land Is Your Land

We have been sent the words of this famous Woody Guthrie song, updated for today. It was written in response to the Scottish Defence League’s attempted march in Dundee on September 12th. Was listening to some music yesterday when up popped the Woody Guthrie classic This Land Is Your Land. Applying this sentiment to the…

The Case For The Independent Workers Union – Our Right To Organise

In the aftermath of the UNITE leadership’s capitulation at Grangemouth, a key issue socialists need to address is that of how to effectively organise workers. The RCN and the commune organised the 3rd Global Commune conference – ‘Trade Unions- Are They Fit For Purpose’ (see Trade Unions In The Twenty First Century) – in which a number…

Ireland And The Protection Of Life During Pregnancy Act

We are posting another article from the August issue of Socialist Democracy (Ireland). This is on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act in Ireland. It is a follow up to an earlier posting about Savita Halappanavar who died when denied an abortion at the University Hospital in Galway (see We Have Heartbeats Too!). In the case…

G8 Summit At Enniskillen

The G8 summit was held in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, from June 17th – 18th. It is eight years since the G8 summit held at Gleneagles in July 2005. Emancipation & Liberation covered that summit quite extensively in issue no. 11 (see Emancipation & Liberation Issue 11). Little has changed. The first article by John McAnulty…

Allan Armstrong (RCN) replies to David Jamieson (ISG) – part 2

Since I wrote the first part of my reply (Allan Armstrong (RCN) replies to David Jamieson (ISG) – part 1) I have met David for the first time. Face-to-face discussions are a better way of trying to understand the thinking and positions that others hold. They can also help to overcome some preconceived notions. In the…