Allan Armstrong sent this article to Conter, on September 13th, hoping to open up one of the debates on the Left in relation to Scottish independence, before and during the Radical Independence Campaign conference in Glasgow on October 26th. There has been no acknowledgement of this article by the Conter editor, despite Allan being a member of RISE, Conter‘s main sponsor. This seems to reflect a unwillingness, highlighted at the founding of RISE, to discuss controversial issues.
However, since then articles have appeared in Conter, or by RISE members writing for CommonSpace, which have been pro-Lexit. Allan’s article was written in an attempt to ensure that a fuller range of Left opinion was addressed on a specifically Socialist site claiming to promote wider debate. This could then contribute to the best traditions of RIC, where such controversial issues have been openly debated. A Left that is afraid to debate issues, in a democratic and respectful manner, is doomed to irrelevance.
Fortunately, both Socialist Resistance (http://socialistresistance.org/the-contradictions-underlying-brexit-and-scottish-independence/18211) and bella caledonia (https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2019/10/24/republican-internationalism-from-below/) have now posted this article.
THE CONTRADICTIONS UNDERLYING BREXIT AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE
To date articles in Conter addressing Brexit have concentrated more on the neo-liberal opposition, and those on the Left perceived to be tail-ending this section of the British ruling class. There has been no real analysis of the aims of the hard right and national populist advocates of Brexit, whether the Boris Johnson-led Tories, or the Nigel Farage-led UKIP and now his Brexit Party. Brexit has not been adequately placed in the context of the global rise of right national populism, highlighted by Donald Trump’s ‘Brexit, plus, plus, plus’, US presidential electoral victory in November 2016.[1] These people are still seen by some on the Left as political outsiders, despite now having their hands on the US state’s anti-democratic presidential powers and the UK state’s anti-democratic crown powers. Nor have the machinations of such ‘left’ Brexit union leaders as UNITE’s Len McCluskey been addressed.[2]
The RIC conference on 26.10.19
The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) has formed an important arena for discussing such issues.[3] Indeed RIC’s Scottish internationalism is highlighted on its banner – ‘Another Scotland is Possible; Another Europe is Possible; Another World is Possible’. Hopefully, the October 26th RIC conference in Glasgow will extend this opportunity for discussion related to the situation we now face. Understanding the political forces, which the Left is up against, is essential, not only in the UK and wider world, but for us in Scotland, when we consider the future for Scottish independence. Continue reading “THE CONTRADICTIONS UNDERLYING BREXIT AND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE”
Tags: "Brexit Plus Plus Plus", 'hostile environment', 1871 Paris Commune, Alex Salmond, All Under One Banner, Author: Allan Armstrong, Boris Johnson, Brexit, Brexit Party, Brexiteers, Catalunya, CommonSpace, communes and soviets, Conter, Dominic Cummings, Donald Trump, DUP, England, EU, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, Euskadi, Ireland, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Labour Party, Len McCluskey, national sovereignty, Nigel Farage, Northern Ireland, Putin, Radical Independence Campaign, RISE, Schengen Agreement, Scotland, Scottish Resistance, SNP, Soil nan Gaidheal, sovereigntists, sovereignty of Crown in Parliament, sovereignty of the people, Theresa May, Tory Right, Troika, UKIP, Wings Over Scotland, ‘Another Scotland is Possible; Another Europe is Possible; Another World is Possible’
