Red, Orange And Blue

Allan Armstrong gives his personal reflections on The Provisional IRA – From Insurrection to Parliament (by Tommy McKearney, with an Introduction by Paul Stewart). I first met Tommy McKearney in the preparations for the initial Republican Socialist Convention, which was held in Scotland. He was due to pick me up from the Dublin Monaghan bus.…

The 99%, The 1% And ‘Anti-Finance’

Oisín Mac Giallomóir of the commune argues the Occupy movement needs to oppose capitalist production not just capitalist finance and governments A lot of people have commented that a problem with the Occupy movement is that it is not clear what they are for. I think that is a smaller problem than the lack of clarity…

Liverpool – the city that dared to fight

Emancipation & Liberation has published a number of articles relating to the current struggle against public sector cuts including:- International Resistance To Public Sector Cuts Socialists have drawn lessons from the struggles against Thatcher in the 1980’s and 1980’s. Emancipation & Liberation has already looked at the lessons to be drawn from the Anti-Poll Tax…

New issue of the Commune (no 27)

N30: there is an alternative – The Commune’s editorial looks forward to the 30th November strike against austerity there’s more to politics than westminster – Greg Brown asks what is the way forward for students’ struggles after last year’s defeat on fees and EMA make or break for the ‘sparks’ – Adam Ford reports on…

A new review of ‘From Davitt to Connolly’ by Tara O’Sullivan

Celtic Soul Brothers Tara O’Sullivan (from Red Banner, issue no. 45) A review of From Davitt to Connolly: ‘Internationalism from below’ and the challenge to the UK state and British Empire 1879-95, by Allan Armstrong Earlier in the year we witnessed much discussion of relationships between Ireland and Britain. Some was of interest, but the worst…

Mary McGregor reviews ‘Downfall: The Tommy Sheridan Story’, by Alan McCombes

Like many others who have been members of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) for a number of years, I did not want to read Downfall: The Tommy Sheridan Story by Alan McCombes. As a founder member of the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA) and then the SSP, I had been filled with hope (but with no…

A Political Report on the ‘Reclaiming Our Trade Unions’ conference in Dublin.

Reclaiming the unions –  Bluster about bureaucracy, but no alternative programme – Socialist Democracy (Ireland) The “Reclaiming our Trade Unions” conference in Dublin on 1st October (better seen as a convention because of the limited political discussion) had its theme set by Kieran Allen, the President of SIPTU’s education branch. Kieran denounced the corruption of…

New issue of the commune (no. 26)

the euro in crisis editorial – opposition and the cuts balls to miliband – Clifford Biddulph pickets and porkie pies at fujitsu – Mark Harrison cleaning up the industry – Siobhan Breatnach sparks fly in electricians’ dispute – Siobhan Breatnach a weekend camping at dale farm – Daniel Harvey a state of uncertainty – Pete…

Capitalism offers us no future

Since the current economic crisis broke out in 2007, the bosses and their paid politicians have tried to persuade us that if we tighten our belts and accept painful cuts, then the ‘good old days’ will return. However, it has become increasingly clear that their imposed cuts have only made the situation worse, as we…