Police turned up to a coal mine operating without a licence – to arrest protesters

The following article by Glen Black was first posted by The Canary. It highlights the police role in protecting corporate lawbreakers and criminalising protestors.   POLICE TURNED UP AT COAL MINE OPERATING WITHOUT A LICENSE – TO ARREST PROTESTORS On 5 July, Extinction Rebellion (XR) blocked access to Ffos-y-Fran coal mine in Wales. The mine is infamous for…

The real honours of Scotland

The following article by George Gunn from the Province of the Cat was first posted by bella caledonia. It links King Charles receiving the ‘Honours Scotland’ with the seizure of the land under feudalism. This continues  to this day, albeit it as aggressive capitalist expropriation. However  it  acknowledges its feudal forebears in the pomp and…

A monarchy based on slavery

This article by Mike Small on the links between the British monarchy and  slavery was first posted on https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/04/16/a-monarchy-based-on-slavery/. It was written just before the coronation on May 6th, at Westminster Cathedral, but with Charles coming to receive the ‘honours of Scotland’ on Wednesday 5th July at St Giles Cathedral the EL&SD Editorial Board  is…

Your country – George Gunn

EL&SD is posting the new poem written by George Gunn. It highlights the continuing iniquity of land tenure in Scotland. YOUR COUNTRY   Your country is sold off in 45,000 acre parcels at £25 million a go by the inventor of the sticky back label who bought it from a down on his luck laird…

Leigh French – a tribute

It was very sad news to hear of the death of  Leigh French, co-editor of Variant. I was invited in the context of IndyRef2 to speak to a meeting organised by Leigh and Gordon Asher. What we shared in common was an appreciation of the significance of cultural struggle in challenging capitalism. Although we differed…

People who call for tactical voting are pissing into the wind

 We are reposting this article by Ricky from his Council Estate blog, which examines the real nature of the Labour Party. Although written from an English/British perspective, which ignores the likely impact of a Starmer-led Labour government in Scotland, Ireland and Wales, it clearly sees that such a  government would represent ‘Boris-Lite’ (or perhaps ‘not…

Stuff ‘single person’ leadership

We are reposting this article, written by Mike MacNair, which was first published by Weekly Worker. He argues that despite its ostensible archaism, the coronation of Charles III reflects the thoroughly modern practice of one-man management. STUFF ‘SINGLE PERSON’ LEADERSHIP In March 1649, after the execution of Charles I, parliament passed “An Act for the abolishing…

Ode to the Scottish Republic

George Gunn read the following poem at the republican rally on Calton Hill on the day of the coronation on Saturday 6th May. ODE TO THE SCOTTISH REPUBLIC        (Calton Hill, Edinburgh, 6.5.23) My allegiance is to the Scottish people to all people to be called a British subject & to swear allegiance to a…

We are citizens not subjects

The Radical Independence Campaign issued the following statement for the Calton Hill republican rally on May 6th.     WE ARE CITIZENS NOT SUBJECTS The Radical Independence Campaign initiated the 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill, signed by nearly 3000 people.  We welcome those attending today’s rally organised by Our Republic.  We are here to challenge…