COVENANT MARCHES PROMISE ENDLESS SECTARIANISM The period following September’s mass Orange demonstration in Belfast commemorating the signing of the Ulster Covenant the event leading to Ireland’s Nakba, the partition of the country and generations of violence, colonial rule and sectarian division was followed by widespread expressions of relief and hope for the future. There had been no violence. The Orange Order had said they were sorry for the hurt feelings…
Scottish Self-Determination And The ‘Actually Existing’ Labour Movement
A response to the Red Paper Collective’s Power for Scotland’s People – A labour movement view The ‘Independent Scotland Debate’ was organised by the Edinburgh Peoples Festival on September 9th. 86 people attended this well-conducted event in the Out of the Blue Centre in Leith. The speaker supporting independence was Kevin Williamson of bella caledonia,…
‘Britain Must Break’ To Defend ‘Real Labour’ or ‘The Break-Up Of The UK’ To Advance Republican Socialism?
Allan Armstrong (RCN) welcomes the new pamphlet Britain Must Break by the International Socialist Group (Scotland) and offers some fraternal criticism. Introduction The Scottish government’s 2014 ‘independence’ referendum has produced a flurry of analysis and activity amongst the Left in Scotland. This has led several Socialist organisations to come together to promote the Radical Independence Conference[1]The…
The Orange Frankenstein Marches Forth Again
Observers of the north of Ireland are from time to time caught by surprise when the reality of life here contradicts their belief in a steady progress towards normality. Such a moment came outside a Catholic church in Belfast. A 12th July demonstration by one band playing a hate song went viral on Facebook and…
The Olympics And The British Ideology
Jim Slaven of the James Connolly Society looks into the role of the Olympics in buttressing British ideology. So the Olympics are over and it is time to reflect on the significance of London 2012. While the coverage has been extensive, none of it has come close to a brilliant book published before London 2012…
In The Aftermath Of Ballymurphy
Led by the families of the massacred, over 1000 relatives, neighbours and supporters defiantly snaked their way through the streets of the Greater Ballymurphy area in west Belfast on the Ballymurphy Massacre March for Truth on Sunday past, August 12. Joined by a strong contingent of éirígí activists, the march took time to pass, and…
James Kelman, The British Council And The 2012 Edinburgh Writers’ Conference
This is the talk James Kelman gave to the Edinburgh Festival Book Fringe held in Word Power bookshop on Friday, August 10th. On a recent Sunday the Herald had a twenty page full colour supplement in association with the Scottish Tourist Board. Stories from the land that inspired Disney Pixar’s Brave. That’s us. The land…
Councillor Adopts Principled Stance Against The Cuts
TO: Elaine Kerr, Senior Admin Officer, Walsall Voluntary Action. FROM: Councillor Pete Smith.[1]Pete Smith stood for and was elected as the Democratic Labour candidate in the Blakenall Ward of Walsall Metropolitan Burgh Council in the May local elections. Walsall Democratic Labour stood as part of the Trade Union and Socialist Coaltion. RE: Council Spending Priority…
The Political Significance Of The Merger Of Irish Physical Force Republicans
We are posting two articles on the recently agreed merger between three of the physical force Republican groups. The first is by Tommy McKearney, former IRA hunger striker, and now in the Independent Workers Union . The second is by John McAnulty of Socialist Democracy (Ireland). John was a Peoples Democracy councillor on Belfast City…
Reports From Ireland – North And South
Below can be found two very interesting articles from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) forcussing on particular issues in Ireland. The first highlights the continued the sectarian nature of the post-Good Friday state in the North, and the second, the continued lowering of working class consciousness in the South, under the debilitating social partnership of state, big…