News & Analysis – Page 9

Scotland: An Independent European nation?

When the results of the 2016 EU membership referendum came in, Nicola Sturgeon took to the airwaves to denounce the fact that while the rest of the UK had voted to Leave, Scottish voters had not. While this fact has been consistently used to make a democratic case for independence, the SNP policy on the EU has evolved multiple times: from “special status”, to Single Market membership, to “Stop Brexit”. As Britain has now left the EU, this process of evolution has merged the two questions, with the main SNP slogan now being “an independent European nation”: advocating that an independent Scotland would re-join the European Union.

Britain on the Brink: Build for Revolution (Issue 32 Editorial)

The ancient Chinese military specialist Sun Tzu once said “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” It is for this reason that Marxists spend many an hour studying the capitalist class. Fortunately for us there exists The Financial Times, a paper which gives a very honest commentary on behalf of this class, often revealing their anxieties, ideas and long term plans. In January, the paper’s senior economics editor at the Financial Times, Martin Wolf, showed his anxiety by drawing attention to “an unholy trinity of slowing productivity growth, soaring inequality and huge financial shocks” that have gripped capitalism in recent decades.

Indy Movement Must Learn Lessons from General Election: For a Workers’ Republic!

The beginning of 2020 will be shadowed by December’s election results. New Years Day hangovers pale in comparison to the Friday the 13th feeling of waking up to a Tory majority. However 2020 will not simply be defined by this but will be an extremely eventful year. A new phase of class struggle will open up in Scotland, the rest of these islands and the world over.

Election Results Renew The Struggle for Self Determination

The 2019 General Election campaign in England captured the attention of Scotland. The Scottish result was in large part a fait accompli, with most expecting the SNP to gain seats and the other major parties clutch onto a handful. All eyes were on Jeremy Corbyn as he battled to kick the Tories from power after a decade of misery for the working class. Labour fought to climb the polls in the final weeks, hoping to achieve at least a hung parliament.

The General Election in Scotland and The Fight for Socialism

This General election has been the most dramatic for decades. The capitalist class are scared and they’re not hiding it. On Monday, when Labour’s John McDonnell outlined what the Labour government would do in its first 100 days, the billionaire founder of Phones 4U John Caudwell responded in a very telling way.

Public Inquiry Finally Called on Sheku Bayoh

By Clara McGill, Glasgow Marxists

Almost five years after the suspicious death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody the Scottish Government has agreed to hold a public inquiry. Sheku Bayoh, a black trainee gas engineer from Fife, died in 2015 of suffocation after being brutally attacked by several police officers ‘restraining’ him using CS gas and batons. They had been called to the scene looking for a man with a knife, yet Sheku was completely unarmed. After the brutal beating, which left him with over 50 injuries including head wounds, a fractured rib, facial injuries and bruises all over his body he never regained consciousness and 90 minutes later was pronounced dead.

General Election will Provoke a New Phase of Class Struggle (Issue 30 Editorial)

The announcement of a 12th December General Election has sparked off what will be the most significant campaign for decades. Never has a prime minister represented so few people and commanded such little respect and never has the opposition looked so ready for a fight.

SNP Plan A vs Plan B

The SNP conference came at a very important juncture in the class struggle in Britain. With Boris Johnson trying to close a last-minute deal with the EU, the ruling class looks on in horror at the approaching 31st of October deadline, unsure if Johnson’s plans are either sincere or workable. A triumphant Labour left freshly rejuvenated from its victories at conference itches for a General Election and the necessity of bringing down the government stares all opposition MPs in the face.

Revolutionary Situations on The Horizon: Youth will be at The Forefront! (Issue 29 Editorial)

Marxists are used to being told that the youth are too apathetic and the working class too conservative for revolution. However this idea is being challenged in every continent. In recent months we’ve seen revolutionary situations develop in, Sudan and Puerto Rico, as well as one that could develop into a revolutionary situation in Hong Kong, as masses of people are rising against their corrupt and often oppressive rulers and the capitalist class that these rulers represent.

Boris, Brexit and Indy

The publication of the Ashcroft poll on the 5th of August will be looked back on as a small but significant event in the history of Scottish independence. Indicating majority support for independence — 52% — for the first time in years, and majority support for holding a new referendum, it has boosted the confidence of the Independence movement and confirmed the fears of the ruling class.