Socialist Democracy

Pro NATO Leo jumps ship

26/03/24

In his sudden announcement of resignation Taoiseach Leo Varadkar claimed a history of success, retiring to rest on his laurels. However, as Varadkar has admitted, the rejection of the referenda on family, women and care was a smashing blow to himself, to the government, and especially to his Fine Gael party. The killer blow was his admission, shortly before the referenda, and referring to the welfare of the family when he stated “I don’t actually think that’s the state’s responsibility, to be honest.”   (read more)

Irish leaders tread carefully in the United States

24/03/24

The degree to which an historically oppressed national, ethnic or religious group has come to accept their oppression can be measured by the extent to which negative stereotypes are not just normalised but even celebrated.  In no nation is this more the case than Ireland and at no time is it more on display than around St Patrick’s Day.  Despite a long and rich intellectual and cultural history, it is the crude anti-Irish stereotypes of drunkenness, violence and stupidity which are presented as the nation’s most pronounced characteristics.   (read more)

Biden’s Blood Fest, Sinn Féin’s Song and Dance

23/03/24

St Patrick’s day came and went. The snakes who scuttled off to Washington for some revelry with Genocide Joe came back to Ireland. Meanwhile the
slaughter in Gaza continues unabated as it did whilst Sinn Féin were clinking glasses with those responsible for the murder. Leo Varadkar limited himself to repeating the banalities of Joe Biden, saying ceasefire, two-state solution and also affirming that Israel has a right to defend itself.  (read more)

Starmer and Labour

14/03/24 

Keir Starmer recently made a speech about the goals of a future Labour government saying he aims to make Britain the highest growing economy in Europe. He has dropped all mention of reform or of improvement in the lives of workers. That means that his platform is the Brexit Tory one of driving down living standards in the interests of capital.   Voters who want to kick the Tories out should be in no doubt that Starmer will do nothing to upset business and the neo liberal status quo. (read more)

Erasing Murals and Erasing Gaza

13/03/24

Once upon a time, Belfast was famed for its murals, so much so that even now a part of the tourist industry depends
on a plastic paddy tour of the current murals on display in nationalist areas of Belfast. It was the 1981 hunger strike and its aftermath that saw an explosion in political murals in nationalist areas. As the 1980s went on, the technical and artistic quality of them improved dramatically and the politics they sought to represent expanded. Some of them were very militaristic, others much more political in content.   (read more)

Report on Belfast IWD 2024 rally

13/03/24 

Last year’s IWD rally in Belfast was marred by controversy when one of the speakers was silenced after expressing a gender critical position.  Mabel Chah, a black migrant woman from Cameroon, was barracked by a section of the crowd and her address cut short by the compere. Afterwards the organisers issued a statement disowning Mabel and expressing regret that such views had got an airing.  While there was an effort to avoid controversy this year it was not entirely successful.  (read more)

Videos

Gender identity ideology

Presentation by Orla Ni Chomhrai on why socialists should oppose a dogma which undermines women's rights, gay rights, free speech, and science.

18 October 2021