Bob Goupillot reports on the RIC organised protest at Queen Elizabeth House or BOSS (British Occupied Subject Scotland) on Thursday, November 23rd, to challenge the UK Supreme Court’s anti-democratic decision to deny Scotland the independence referendum voted for by the majority of people in Scotland in the 2021 Holyrood election. RADICAL INDEPENDENCE CAMPAIGN ASSERTS THE…
BOB GOUPILLOT REPORTING FROM THE FRONTLINE OF THE UCU STRIKE
1. BOB GOUPILLOT REPORTING FROM THE FRONTLINE OF THE UCU STRIKE I have just returned from the UCU picket lines at Edinburgh University. Today was the last day of this round of strike action in defence of our pensions. As I walked across the central campus earlier this morning it was really heartening to see…
A BRIEF HISTORY AND THE CONTEXT FOR RECOVERY IN MENTAL HEALTH
Bob Goupillot writes about organising against discrimination, oppression and exploitation, and how this affected the Movement for Recovery in Mental Health. A BRIEF HISTORY AND THE CONTEXT FOR RECOVERY IN MENTAL HEALTH The Recovery movement has several roots these include The various historical movements for greater Civil rights. The evidence from experts…
EMANCIPATION & LIBERATION no. 24
The RCN produces a special issue of Emancipation & Liberation (no. 24) for the launch of RISE – Scotland’s Left alliance on Saturday, August 29th in Glasgow. Below are the first three articles which were specially written for this issue. 1. THE SCOTTISH LEFT PROJECT – COMPLETING SCOTLAND’S DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION Starting a new political organisation,…
Why a Republican Perspective is Important
We are living in time of great change. The situation in Greece, the Indy result, the near wipe out in Scotland of established UK parties and the anticipated Holyrood victory for the SNP next May highlight great instability between the people and the powerful. Where there is opportunity there is also danger. The SNP are…
THE FUTURE OF THE RADICAL INDEPENDENCE CAMPAIGN
The RCN, which participated in the setting up of the Radical Independence Campaign in June 2012, has been discussing the possible futures for RIC after September 18th. Bob Goupillot and Allan Armstrong have further developed the idea of Movement and Party, first outlined in the RCN’s special bulletin for the September 25th RIC National Forum. After the battle –…
Tony Benn: A man of principle and radical democrat
Bob Goupillot (RCN) provides this tribute to Tony Benn, who died on 14th March. At 7.30 this morning I heard that Tony Benn had died. I first heard him speak in Darlington in the late 1970’s. I was in my early twenties. That speech and subsequent ones plus two of his books; Arguments for Socialism and…
Secularism, Socialism And Religion
The issue of secularism was discussed at the RCN weekend away in Fife on 22nd February. Allan Armstrong introduced the session using the presentation he had made to Edinburgh RIC. The following discussion extended beyond the scope of the introductory talk, and brought up issues which Bob Goupillot had written about when the RCN was a platform…
The Party We Need
Bob Goupillot (RCN) makes a positive response to the article, The party we need, by Moshe Machover, founder member of the Israeli Socialist organisation, now living in England. I was really heartened to read Moshe Machover’s article The party we need (WW November 7th 2013) as it succinctly summarises important aspects of our classes experience around…
Socialist Republicanism And The Diamond Jubilee
The RCN is posting four pieces as a contribution to the debate on a socialist republican the Diamond Jubilee. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Republicanism Socialism and Democracy The Crown Rules Britannia The Queen: Floating in the Stink 1. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee “Maud Gonne joined with James Connolly in…