Allan Armstrong, who first became politically active in 1968, gives his political assessment of the political situation in the aftermath of the June 23d EU referendum. Allan is on the Editorial Board of Emancipation & Liberation, a supporter of the Republican Socialist Alliance, the Radical Independence Campaign and, in the ‘Spirit of 68’, a dissident member of the…
AN OPEN LETTER TO LEXITERS
AN OPEN LETTER TO THOSE LEXITERS* OPPOSED TO A SECOND EU REFERENDUM, BUT TOO NERVOUS TO CALL A DEMO FOR A ‘FREE UK’ TO IMMEDIATELY BREAK WITH THE EU, WORRIED WHO MIGHT TURN UP! Dear comrades, June 24th hasn’t quite panned out as you Lexiters claimed it would. All those workers “justified” in supporting…
A POLITICAL COMPARISON BETWEEN THE 2012-14 SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE AND THE 2016 EU REFERENDA CAMPAIGNS
Allan Armstrong (RCN) has written a second piece on the forthcoming EU referendum. This is a contribution to the debate in the RCN and the wider Left. Allan has spoken on this issue at the RIC national conference (Feb. 20th), SSP National Council (28th Feb) and the Glasgow Assembly for Democracy (2nd April). ___________ A POLITICAL…
THE CENTENARY OF THE IRISH REBELLION OF 1916
As part of our celebration the 1916 Easter Rising, we are posting two new articles. The first is by Allan Armstrong (RCN), and addresses Lenin’s response to in his Irish Rebellion of 1916 (which is also posted). The second comes from the latest issue of Socialist Democracy (Ireland) and looks at the situation in Ireland today,…
WHY NO PITCHFORD ENQUIRY IN SCOTLAND?
Allan Armstrong (RCN) asks why the Pitchford Enquiry into undercover policing does not extend to Scotland. Last July, Theresa May, Conservative Home Secretary, set up the Pitchford Enquiry into undercover policing in England and Wales. The Channel 4 Programme Dispatches had highlighted the role of the Met’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) in trying to undermine the family…
DEBATE ON THE EU REFERENDUM
The RCN is in the process of conducting a debate over the EU referendum on June 23rd. Where differences of opinion occur, we like to bring other socialists’ attention to these, so they can make their own minds up. Eric Chester (RCN and IWW) and Allan Armstrong (RCN and RISE) offer two different perspectives. Eric argues that we should leave. Allan…
REPORT OF REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST ALLIANCE MEETING, STOCKPORT, 12th MARCH
The RCN is affiliated to the Republican Socialist Alliance. Allan Armstrong attended the meeting hosted by the new RSA (North of England) group on the 12th March in Stockport. Steve Freeman, acting RSA convenor, has written the following report. Report on Republican Socialist Alliance meeting, 12th March, Stockport This was a productive with decisions taken…
THE UK STATE AND BRITISHNESS
This article, written by Allan Armstrong (RCN) in 2015, has now been updated to include a new section 3 on Scotland. It has been moved from its earlier site. Section A – The UK State and Britishness Section B – From the Irish-British and ‘Ulster’-British ‘Insider’ to the Irish ‘Racialised’ and ‘Ethno-Religious Outsider’ to the new ‘National…
SCOTLAND AND THE EASTER RISING
Celtic Connections Event Friday, January 15th, 17.00 City of Music Studio, Royal Concert Hall for tickets go to:- http://www.celticconnections.com/events/Pages/event.aspx?ev=debf3997-126f-4987-8d5c-a5460122d826 Scotland and the Easter Rising, edited by Kirsty Lusk and Willy Maley brings together writers, journalists and academics to reflect on the part played by Scotland in 1916 and its legacies. The Easter…
THE WAR IN SYRIA
We are posting three pieces dealing with the situation in Syria. The first is the emergency motion passed overwhelmingly at the RISE National Conference in Glasgow on December 5th. The second was written by the World to Win Editorial Board just after the vote at Westminster to openly extend UK state involvement in the war…