A flag for a future republic

The following article by George Gunn was first posed by bella caledonia. It oulines a planned challenge in Golspie on June 4th to  Elizabrit’s platinum jubilee. In this it follows the footsteps of James Connolly’s protest in Dublin against Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. A FLAG FOR A FUTURE REPUBLIC On Saturday 4th June Yes…

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…

Earth champs

This article written by Mike Small was first posted on  bella caledonia. It highlights Labour’s continued gallop to the Right, this time over the environment.  EARTH CHAMPS Earth Day has long-gone as a meaningful exercise in anything other corporate greenwash as the grim realities wash over our exhausted timelines. The Sierra Club of America offers…

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-piece 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…

P&O, Brexit Britain and Empire2

This  is a slightly edited version of an article by Allan Armstrong, first posted by bella caledonia.  P&O, BREXIT BRITAIN AND  EMPIRE2 P&O, or what became the Peninsular and Orient Steam Navigation Company, was established in 1822. One of its co-founders, Brodie McGhie Willcox, was a London ship broker. When he died in 1862, he…

For a republican, all-islands, internationalism from below coalition

Allan Armstrong has written reviews of three books which address the political situation Socialists face, first of all in Ireland. He has  extended this to Scotland, Wales and England, and their position in a world of competing imperialisms. The purpose in doing this is to build the case for a Republican, all-islands, ‘internationalism from below’…

Self determination and sovereignty in Europe

This article by Mike Small was first posted on bella caledonia. It  highlights the Gadarene stampede to the Right by media commentators following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Ian MacWhirter, for a short period a supporter of Scottish independence, but now following his longstanding attacks on public sector workers, followed by transgendered  people and environmental activists,…

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…