First we have Bob Goupillots introduction for speakers: 2.10 Bob Goupillot. I met Allan during the Great Miners Strike but really got to know him during the Poll Tax. Since then Allan and I were in an alphabet soup of organisations including The Red Republicans, the SSP, The Republican Communist Network, the Radical Independence Campaign…
Mary McGregor memorial for Allan Armstrong
Fields of Athenry At Allan’s funeral I was privileged to say a few words about how much Allan meant to so many of us and one thing I mentioned was Allan’s love of music, poetry, song film and all aspects of culture. So much so we enshrined culture as one of the main aspects of…
Iain Robertson memorial for Allan Armstrong
I met Allan through Myra over 40 years ago when I started working at Firrhill High School where Myra was teaching. I was quickly drawn in to the politics of the teachers Rank and File group of which both Myra and Allan were active members. This began a process of political awakening for me and…
Nick Steff memorial for Allan Armstrong
The Republican Communist Network was originally set up in 1999 and Allan was one its primary architects. The aim of the RCN was to bring together 2 key aspects of Allan’s beliefs. Firstly, Internationalism from Below, which involved the RCN joining, on a principled basis, with republican communists from Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. The…
George Gunn: Meeting the gaze of of the rubble and How Keir Starmer placed his political image over the lives of those in Gaza
The following two articles were written in response to Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of the situation in Gaza over the SNP motion at Westminster. The first, written by George Gunn was posted in bella caledonia. The second was written by Adam Ramsay and was first posted by openDemocracy. A) MEETING THE GAZE OF THE GHOST…
The Scottish Languages Bill
Wilson Macleod looks at the new Scottish Languages Bill in the changed political circumstances since the Scottish government consultation was first opened up in June 2023. This article was first posted by bella caledonia. He raises some particular points, but omits the changed political background. Whilst cultural issues have always been a lower priority for…
Memories of Alan Boylan
MEMORIES OF ALAN BOYLAN (1957 – 2024) In 1996, when socialists and communists across Scotland formed the Scottish Socialist Alliance, a larger-than-life figure came into our lives. Alan Boylan was at that time a member of the SNP Trade Union Group. A loud, brash, working class Dundonian, Alan was looking for answers and was being…
The John Maclean Centenary Concert
The following article was written by Jim Aitken and was first posted by Culture Matters. It spotlights the exceptional concert held as part of Celtic Connections in Glasgow’s Concert Hall. THE JOHN MACLEAN CENTENARY CONCERT Celtic Connections put on a wonderful concert recently, in memory of Scotland’s great Marxist revolutionary, John Maclean (1879 -1923). Glasgow’s magnificent…
Homoforbes, the Highlands, and Homophobia
The following article by Eilidh Cameron-Sykes was first posted by bella caledonia. It shows how Kate Forbes holds deeply reactionary views extending way beyond transphobia to homophobia. She covers this up by articulating concerns for other issues which concern people living in the Highland and Islands, although more often in words than meaningful action. HOMOFORBES,…
UK’s chief rabbi gives his blessing to war crimes in Gaza
The following article was written and first posted on Jonathan Cook’s blog. The title says it all. UK’s CHIEF RABBI GIVES HIS BLESSING TO WAR CRIMES IN GAZA In referring to Israeli soldiers as ‘our heroes’, Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis not only has Palestinian blood on his hands but potentially Jewish blood too Britain’s chief rabbi,…