Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has announced that that he is stepping down as Stormont’s Depute First Minister. This move has been taken to precipitate an election in the face of the DUP First Minister, Arlene Foster’s role in the “Cash for Ash” scandal. McGuinness’s decision has been taken with great reluctance, since it puts into question Sinn Fein’s…
REACTIONARY UNIONISM SHOWS ITS TRUE COLOURS
We are posting two more articles from the Socialist Democracy (Ireland) highlighting entrenched corrupt and sectarian nature of the Stormont set-up. 1. THE STORMONT RHI SCANDAL AND THE CALLS FOR RESIGNATION WHY STOP AT ARLENE? At a cost to the public purse of almost £500 million there is no doubting the level of corruption and…
APPLE AND IRELAND – WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT?
We are posting this article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) about the conspiracy between the Irish government and Apple to avoid paying taxation. APPLE AND IRELAND – WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT? The details of the criminal conspiracy between Apple and the Irish government may be utterly shocking, as is the brazen defiance shown by…
SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY (IRELAND) STATEMENT ON THE EU REFERENDUM
As part of the debate our online debate on the EU referendum we are posting this following statement from Socialist Democracy (Ireland). SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY (IRELAND) STATEMENT ON EUROPE No to the Racism! No to imperialist Europe! Yes to Britain remaining in Europe! Yes to a United Socialist States of Europe! Within moments of the…
ORANGE SKIRMISH HIGHLIGHTS THE ONGOING SECTARIAN FRACTURES IN THE NORTH OF IRELAND
We are posting this recent article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) about the current situation in Northern Ireland. This is a another contribution to the series of articles we have posted about the domination of reactionary unionism in Northern Ireland, and its possible knock-on effects in the rest of the UK. ORANGE SKIRMISH HIGHLIGHTS THE…
SAVING STORMONT: THE LAST HURRAH?
The RCN has continually emphasised the significance of political developments in Northern Ireland. In contrast to England and Wales, where conservative unionism remains dominant, and Scotland where a hybrid constitutional nationalism/liberal unionism is dominant, in Northern Ireland reactionary unionism has become the predominant political force. Together the Ulster unionist parties and the loyalists have been able to push…
THE REFUGEE CRISIS – AN OUTCOME OF CAPITALIST BARBARISM
THE REFUGEE CRISIS – AN OUTCOME OF CAPITALIST BARBARISM In response to the current refugee storm a Palestinian activist remarked that, if pictures of dead children changed anything, Palestine would long have been free. The bitterness is understandable. However it would be wrong to write off the response to the refugee crisis as light-headed liberalism.…
THE IMPACT OF REACTIONARY UNIONISM ON UK POLITICS
In the struggle over the future of the UK, the main battle is being conducted between the SNP pushing for a liberal unionist ‘Devo-Max’ agenda (looking for support from a possibly Corbyn-led Labour Party, Plaid Cymru and the Greens) and the conservative unionist alliance led by David Cameron, with the tacit acceptance of ‘One Nation’…
THOUSANDS MARCH IN BELFAST FOR GAY MARRIAGE
The impact last month’s successful gay marriage referendum in the 26 Counties has spilled over into the 6 Counties, with 10,000 attending a demonstration in Belfast. The fact that the ‘South’ can act as a beacon for the ‘North’ highlights the reactionary nature of the local UK state set-up, which is a barrier to progress in these islands. This article…
LGBT RIGHTS IN IRELAND – A BEACON OF LIBERATION FOR US ALL
Following the inspiring referendum vote in support of gay marriage in Ireland, E&L is posting the article below from Socialist Democracy (Ireland). The 22nd of May was a truly historic day. The population of the Irish state, long seen as a bastion of Catholic conservatism, voted in an overwhelming majority to amend the constitution…