Allan Armstrong interviews Alan McCombes, a key influence on the theoretical direction of the SSP and a member of the SSP national executive. He gives us his views on Salmond’s SNP government, the future prospects for socialist unity, and the SSP’s constitutional conference. How do you assess the current situation with the new SNP government?…
The Role Of Platforms In The SSP
Platforms, tendencies, factions – call them what you will – exist in all organisations, not just in political parties. Sometimes they are suppressed (by the controlling and usually undeclared, leadership faction, of course), sometimes they are tolerated and occasionally they are welcomed. This article argues that not only are platforms inevitable, but that they are…
SSP – Learning The Lessons
As the SSP’s 2008 conference approaches, our party is still feeling the effects of the long running perjury investigations and charges linked to the libel trial brought by Tommy Sheridan against the News of the World. The reality is whatever the outcome of any future court case, the fight for socialism has not been made…
James Connolly
Still An Inspiration Today Today we march to commemorate the 90th anniversary of James Connolly’s death on Friday, 12th May, 1916, at Kilmainham Jail in Dublin. Although severely wounded, Connolly was shot by a British firing squad after being tied to a chair. In the face of rising political pressure, to at least delay his…
Whatever Happened To ‘The Independence Election’?
The ‘National Conversation’ prepares the way for further reform of the UK What do the results of the recent elections to the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies, and the Irish Dail, mean for the future of the UK? What is the political significance of Salmond’s ‘National Conversation’? This is a contribution by…
Bulletin of the Republican Communist Network (Scotland) in the SSP
Edinburgh James Connolly March, June 4th, 2005 Make Partition History March Special The Scottish Executive’s Sectarian Smokescreen 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 is now receiving…
Emancipation & Liberation Index 15
Emancipation & Liberation, Issue 15, Autumn 2007 Setback or disaster: Can the SSP survive?, Mary McGregor The SNP’s ‘National Conversation’ prepares the ground for reform of the Union, Allan Armstrong Consensus politics or an unprincipled lash-up?, Bob Davies Past mustn’t stand in way of future Irish election: Downturn in workers struggle means Teflon Bertie rides…
Lyrical Delicacy and Political Toughness
Allan Armstrong interviews socialist activist and poet, Jim Aitken, about his life, politics and works. Could you please give us some background information about your life? I was born and raised in Edinburgh. My mother was from Wick, one of a family of six. She left Wick to work in service in London. She never…
What Socialists Stand For
Scottish Socialist Youth Review by Andrew Weir Available from: scottishsocialistyouth@hotmail.co.uk for The Scottish Socialist Youth (SSY) have put together the pamphlet What Socialists Stand For, adapted from a similar pamphlet published by the Democratic Socialist Perspective in Australia, to serve as an introduction to socialist politics. The idea is a very good one; a pamphlet-length…
To Tame the City
Grzegorz (Greg) Rybak is Polish worker currently living in Edinburgh. He stood as the SSP candidate for the Leith Ward in the City of Edinburgh Council elections this year. To tame the city Sitting on a bicycle With the speed of the wind I wend my way through the city Trying to tame the new…