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…

Sinn Fein election ‘victory’ blunted as DUP blocks Assembly formation

The following article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) analyses the results of the recent Stormont election. SINN FEIN ELECTION ‘VICTORY’ BLUNTED AS DUP BLOCKS ASSEMBLY FORMATION The huge significance of Sinn Fein becoming the leading political party in the north after its success in last week’s Assembly election has been emphasised in commentary across the board. …

Socialist Democracy statement on the Stormont Assembly election

The following statement from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) addresses the Stormont Assembly elections on May 5th and examines the further hardening of sectarianism  and the future of the  Good Friday Agreement if the DUP  no longer holds the First Minister’s role for the Unionists SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY (IRELAND) STATEMENT ON THE STORMONT ASSEMBLY ELECTION No to sectarianism…

The odd couple: Ruaraidh Erskine and John Maclean

We are posting this article by Johnnie Gallacher, who provided his own introduction:- As society stands hesitating at the ecological fork in the road to either ecosocialism or suicide, reflecting upon the unlikely political alliance between John Maclean, the revolutionary socialist, and Ruaraidh Erskine, the aristocratic Gaelic nationalist, can offer valuable insights. These relate to…

The human cargo of voluntary departure

The following article written by Mike Small first appeared in bella caledonia. It examines the ongoing assault on migrants, which has become the centre-pice of the Tories’ attacks on democratic right across the board in Brexit Britain ,    THE HUMAN CARGO OF VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE “Anyone entering the UK illegally… may now be relocated to…

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…

National Maternity Hospital – time to get off the sidelines

We are posting this follow-up article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) on the politics behind the new National Maternity Hospital in Dublin. NATIONAL MATERNITY HOSPITAL – TIME TO GET OFF THE SIDELINES On the 25th May 2018 Irish citizens in the 26-county state voted to make abortion a legal right for women. Although admittedly within certain…

Belfast City Council must rename streets named after alleged sex offender

Socialist Democracy (Ireland) received this letter about Prince Andrew Park and Prince Andrew Gardens in South Belfast.   BELFAST CITY COUNCIL MUST RENAME STREETS NAMED AFTER ALLEGED SEX OFFENDER Dear Editor Two staples of Unionist politicians’ social media accounts are irritation at Irish culture and language and gushing praise of the English royal family. DUP…

‘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…