23 July 2007 

John McAnulty of Socialist Democracy has recently completed a successful speaking tour in England organised by Socialist Resistance. The tour, from the 16th to the 20th July, covered Manchester, Birmingham, London and Oxford.

By far the most dramatic meeting took place in Birmingham, where members of the Troops Out Movement intervened to defend Sinn Fein. Their arguments, that Sinn Fein had popular support and that therefore we shouldn't oppose them, and that, in the words of Thatcher, ''there was no alternative'', cut little ice in the meeting, packed with activists from a wide range of socialist movements.

The other meetings were not as large or as dramatic as the Birmingham meeting, but the audience showed a deep interest and engaged in an intense discussion.

The outcome of those discussions was quite clear. For at least a section of the British left it is now evident that the current deal means continued British rule in Ireland, that the national question has not been resolved, and that the Sinn Fein leadership are no longer to be counted in the opposition.

[An article based on John's talk will appear in the August edition of the Socialist Resistance paper].