Allan Armstrong (RCN) has written an article for the Word Power site (see Two Royal Weddings and… a Republican Funeral for the UK? by Allan Armstrong). He is author of the book, From Davitt to Connolly and co-author of the pamphlet, ‘Republicanism, Socialism and Democracy‘, puts the case for using the opportunity provided by the British…
About International Women’s Day and Peace
Susan Dorazio, former Convenor of the Women’s Commission in the Socialist Party of the USA, and currently a member of the SSP in Glasgow, has sent us this contribution for International Women’s Day. In August 1914? World War I erupted, leading to the slaughter of millions. International Women’s Day became a focal point for those…
RCN Bulletins on the addressing the crisis and disunity of the Left in Scotland
1. RCN Bulletin SSP AGM In Dunfermline, April 2011 Facing Up To The Crisis In The SSP The motions for this year’s Conference highlight the toll taken on the SSP over the last six years. Is the Scottish Socialist Party still a party, or we have we just become a loose alliance, looser even than…
Charlie Rees
We have recently heard of the passing of Charlie Rees. Charlie was a member of the RCN and SSP when he lived in Scotland with Deidre McCartan, also a member of the RCN and SSP, before moving to England, What follows is a short poem he wrote when moving from his home in Dunure, Scotland…
Trade Unions In The Twenty First Century
Below are two articles. The first is a report of the Third Global Commune event entitled ‘Trade Unions – Are They Fit For Purpose?’. The second is Allan Armstrong’s talk given to the Independent Workers Union conference in Dublin on 4.4.09. on behalf of the SSP’s International Committee. 1. THE THIRD GLOBAL COMMUNE EVENT, 29.1.11…
RCN statement following the Tommy Sheridan Perjury Trial.
The RCN welcomes the vindication of those SSP comrades who refused to go along with Sheridan’s attempt to use his public and celebrity position to extract money for personal gain. Whilst fully recognising the political damage and personal hurt to SSP members resulting from this debacle, the RCN opposes the jailing of our former SSP…
RCN Motion to Special Conference
This should be read in conjunction with the RCN Statement to Conference. Conference holds Tommy Sheridan’s anti-party actions to be responsible for the damage inflicted on the SSP and on the socialist movement in Scotland, aided, in particular, by the decisions taken by the leaderships of the CWI and SWP. The decision to split the…
Trade Unions – Are They Fit For Purpose? – Global Commune Event
3rd Global Commune Event Trade Unions – Are They Fit For Purpose? Saturday, January 29th, 2011 Registration 10. 30 for 11. 00 – 16.30 Out of the Blue Centre, Dalmeny Street, Leith Edinburgh In both the UK and Ireland today, the overwhelming majority of trade union leaders have signed up to social partnerships. These effectively…
Around the Time of Aitken
Around the Time of Aitken Andy McPake reviews the latest book of poetry, Around the Time of Michael from Jim Aitken. Jim has become a regular contributor to Emancipation & Liberation, and he credits us in his preface. Around the Time of Michael is Jim’s ninth published volume of poetry and, as the quote above suggests, a…
The Sheridan Perjury Trial
The split on the Scottish Left between celebrity populist and genuine socialist politics On May 1st, 2003 six Scottish Socialist Party members were elected to Holyrood. From December 23rd, 2010, by far the best-known (former) member of the SSP, Tommy Sheridan, faces a jail sentence for committing perjury, following in the footsteps of Lord Jeffrey…