This is written for anyone who has ever suffered at the hands (or, more accurately, the mouths) of the Highland midge. Over the centuries the bear and the wolf have been hunted to extinction in the Highlands of Scotland, but it has never been remotely within the scope of possibility that its most voracious predator…
Elections in Greece: Positive Results for the Left
YK analyses the Greek election results and addresses the prospects and tasks for socialists That the Greek parliament would be significantly different, as a result of the 16th September elections, was more or less common knowledge in Greece. There had been three and a half years of extreme government incompetence and quite shocking scandals. These…
Iranian Workers Face Two Enemies
Yassamine Mather reports on the Iranian people’s need for genuine solidarity The threat of military air strikes against Iran is today probably stronger than ever before. Many commentators are speculating about possible ‘shock and awe’ attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran’s nuclear installations and other strategic targets. The US, this time supported…
From Operation Banner to Operation Helvetica
John McAnulty (Socialist Democracy, Belfast) looks at the changing face of British rule in Ireland In their usual astounding display of chutzpah Sinn Fein have produced a T-shirt depicting the IRA expelling a Brit soldier, claiming that the ending of ‘Operation Banner’ (the deployment of troops and the armed suppression of the civil population during…
Beslan
by Jim Aitken Eliot said the game was up after the First World War. How wrong! For after the Second we fell into a state of disbelief that still must make us shake our heads. And on then to Hiroshima, To Korea down to Vietnam, And all the other names we call- Cambodia, Timor, Iraq.…
When the Fighting is Over
With casualties continuing to rise in Iraq and Afghanistan, Rod MacGregor shows imperialism’s disdain for working class lives He’s five feet tall and he’s six feet four, He fights with missiles and with spears, He’s all of thirty-one and he’s only seventeen, He’s been a soldier for a thousand years. Universal Soldier (Buffy St Marie)…
Irish Election: Downturn in Workers Struggle Means Teflon Bertie Rides Again
by John McAnulty (Socialist Democracy, Belfast) The Irish election of 24th May astounded all the political observers commenting on it. The election was called unexpectedly at a rushed early morning press conference in a transparent attempt to head off a judicial enquiry into suspect financial dealings by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. The enquiry was immediately…
Past Mustn’t Stand In Way of Future
Below, we reprint the editorial from the Belfast Newsletter, 27 March 2007. As a DUP-supporting newspaper, it gives a clear indication of why Paisley went into coalition with Sinn Fein. No matter what happened yesterday, Peter Hain had planned to be the winner. If the Assembly had met and a First and Deputy First Minister…
Consensus Politics or an Unprincipled Lash-Up?
Following the Welsh Assembly elections, Bob Davies (CPGB, South Wales) details the compromises in the pursuit of power Cross party, consensus politics currently appears in vogue at the moment. As I write, and perhaps encouraged by recent developments in Welsh politics, Gordon Brown has announced that Patrick Mercer and John Bercow, both Tory MPs, will…
The SNP’s ‘National Conversation’ Prepares the Ground for Reform of the Union
Allan Armstrong assesses the impact of the SNP plans for Scotland in the context of British ruling class thinking about reform of the UK New Unionism and the reform of the UK constitution On May 3rd New Labour lost its control of both the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. Scotland now has a minority SNP/Green…