The Gender Recognition Reform Bill (GRR) was passed at Holyrood on December 22nd. It has been described as “contentious” by the media and “railroaded” by the Tories. The Tories have threatened to block this bill at Westminster. But there are also dangerous echoes of opposition from another tradition too. rs21 member Graham Checkley examines the facts,…
The language struggle and the challenge to the UK state
The following article by Allan Armstrong looks at the significance of the struggles around the issue of language in Ireland, Wales and England and how they provide a challenge to the UK state. THE LANGUAGE STRUGGLE AND THE CHALLENGE TO THE UK STATE a) Introduction …
Wes Streeting has betrayed the NHS
The following article outlines Labour’s Shadow Secretary of for Health & Social Care, Wes Streeting’s moves to help Sir Keir Starmer further privatise the NHS, It was was first posted by Squawkbox. WES STREETING HAS BETRAYED THE NHS And in 2018, he launched ‘disgusting’ tirade in predecessor Abbott’s face Starmer’s sidekick promoted despite his history…
Is this what democracy looks like?
The following article by Jonathon Shafi, of the Conter editorial board, was first posted on the Substack blog. It outlines the SNP leaders’ accommodation to landowners in Scotland, and the Scottish Green leaders’ accommodation to the SNP, when it comes to renewable energy. IS THIS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE? The latest in the great Scottish sell…
Gordon Brown’s new report and the Supreme Court ruling
Mike Small of bella caledonia has written this response to Gordon Brown’s report ‘A New Britain: Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy’. He argues that this report collapses under the weight of its own incoherence. Instead of viewing this as a set of solutions for Scotland, it should be seen as Labour’s attempt to create…
Holyrood dismantles UN special rapporteur’s arguments against gender recognition reform
The following article by Alex/Rose Cocker was first posted by The Canary. It shows the misrepresentation of the status of the UN special rapporteur, who has been used by those who opposed gender recognition reform, and then deals with the rapporteur’s arguments. HOLYROOD DISMANTLES UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR’S ARGUMENTS AGAINST GENDER RECOGNITION REFORM On 29 November,…
Elaine Murray – a remarkable woman
Elaine Murray was a remarkable woman. Being an active trade unionist and political campaigners were just two aspects of her full and rounded life. Many people – family, partners, friends, sisters, brothers and and comrades – attended her commemoration meeting. This was held on Thursday, December 1st in the Kings Manor Hotel in Edinburgh. This commemoration…
Distorted reporting of the 2021 census echoes a racist conspiracy theory
The following article written by Benali Hamdache was first posted by openDemocracy. It highlights the Right media’s calculated distortion of the 2021 UK census data, and hoe liberal media like The Guardian has been complicit in this. DISTORTED REPORTING OF THE 2021 CENSUS ECHOES A RACIST CONSPIRACY THEORY Our lives are filled with bad…
Mary Brooksbank -125th anniversary of her birth
Hi all, Please join us in Dundee next Saturday 10th December at 1pm for our annual Mary Brooksbank commemoration, this year marking the 125th anniversary of her birth. Mary Brooksbank is Dundee’s best-known communist and trade unionist. Growing up working in the jute mills like many working class women and girls of her day, she wrote…
For a Republican, all-islands, ‘internationalism from below’ coalition – update
The second part of Allan Armstrong’s, 3 part review, making the case for a Republican, all-islands , ‘internationalism from below’ coalition, is now available. PART 2 – WINNERS, LOSERS AND LEARNERS A review of Between Sectarianism & Neo-Liberalism, by Paul Stewart, Tommy McKearney, Georoid O’Machail, Patricia Campbell and Brian Garvey https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/winners-losers-and-learners.pdf The first part…