THE REIGN OF ELZABRIT – 70 YEARS OF IMPERIALIST AND UNIONIST VIOLENCE One stark feature of the reign of queen Elizabeth, commander in chief of the British Armed Forces, 1952-2022, has been continuous UK involvement in military interventions and wars. This has led to many tens of thousands of deaths amongst those fighting for their…
Why has Putin invaded Ukraine?
Allan Armstrong has written a two-part article, Why has Putin has invaded Ukraine? The first part was posted on bella caledonia and the Irish Left Archive. This has now been amended following the helpful comments from Connor Beaton, Nick Steff and Sairah Tariq. Part 2 has been posted on Allan’s Intfrobel blog. The contents of both…
P&O, Brexit Britain and Empire2
This is a slightly edited version of an article by Allan Armstrong, first posted by bella caledonia. P&O, BREXIT BRITAIN AND EMPIRE2 P&O, or what became the Peninsular and Orient Steam Navigation Company, was established in 1822. One of its co-founders, Brodie McGhie Willcox, was a London ship broker. When he died in 1862, he…
Developing the case for a republican, all-islands, ‘internationalism from below’ coalition
Allan Armstrong is writing a review of three books which address the political situation Socialists face, first of all in Ireland, but also extended to Scotland, Wales and England. EL&SD is posting the introduction to this review, and the link to its first part. The other parts are still to be written and the…
Prologue to democratic revolution – part 2
This is the second part of an extended review by Allan Armstrong, which addresses some of the issues raised in John McAnulty’s new book. PROLOGUE TO DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION – Part 2 Allan Armstrong reviews Ireland’s Partition: Coda to counterrevolution by John McAnulty Contents a) From the communities of resistance under Stormont mark…
Freedom come all ye – Why we need a truly human and democratic communism
The RCN/RCF has always seen the need to connect anti-capitalist activities with providing a vision of the type of society we want and the means of achieving it. To this end we were engaged in debates in the commune. One of the articles which Allan Armstrong, with assistance from Bob Goupillot, contributed proved too long…
‘From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit’ update
EL&SD is posting a new conclusion to Allan Armstrong’s book From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit FROM AN EX-BRIT END TO THE BRITISH UNIION AND EMPIRE IN AN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ CAMPAIGN FOR A EUROPEAN REPUBLIC TO A ‘UNIVERSALISM FROM BELOW’ GLOBAL COMMUNE Despite the claims of liberal EU supporters, the EEC did not bring peace to…
Ireland’s reunification: prologue to democratic revolution
This is the first part of an extended review by Allan Armstrong, which addresses some of the issues raised in John McAnulty’s new book. PROLOGUE TO DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION – Allan Armstrong reviews Ireland’s Partition: Coda to counterrevolution by John McAnulty Contents a) Introduction b) A Socialist history of Irish history but…
Global Britain, Levelling up, Strengthening the Union
The following article by Allan Armstrong (RSP) was first posted by bella caledonia. It looks at the political significance of the appointment of Sir Tony Radakin to Chief of Defence Staff, using his speech to the Royal United Services Institute. This version also included a link to that speech and other references. GLOBAL BRITAIN, LEVELLING…
What does the union flag tell us about the UK?
Allan Armstrong has rewritten the introduction to the first part of his book, From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit. In this he takes a closer look at the history of the UK’s Union Flag. WHAT DOES THE UNION FLAG TELL US ABOUT THE UK? Today, even the United Kingdom’s most diehard defenders realise their state may not…