Beyond Brexit

The politics of Irish unity and a social Europe – Part 2

by Declan Kearney

Today we bring you the second of a two-part guest post by Declan Kearney, Sinn Féin National Chairperson and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim. Here he sets out the case for a new Ireland within a social Europe, arguing that the current political and economic crisis demands progressive interventions by the Irish labour movement and the political unity of broad left forces across the Continent.

Read more “Beyond Brexit” →

Beyond Brexit

The politics of Irish unity and a social Europe – Part 1

by Declan Kearney

This week’s guest post, the first of two parts, is penned by Declan Kearney, Sinn Féin National Chairperson and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Antrim. Here he sketches out the historical, economic and political context in which Brexit has brought the question of Irish unification to the fore. Tomorrow, we will bring you his thoughts on the political realignments, alliances, interventions that will be required to build a new Ireland and a social Europe.

Read more “Beyond Brexit” →

Fighting the new far right

Europe is facing an explosion of far right movements not seen since the Second World War. This new fascism is well financed, increasingly transnational, and intent on turning the clock back decades on democracy, human rights, gender politics and the freedoms of minorities.

Read more “Fighting the new far right” →

May is gambling and playing for time

by Johanna Bussemer

Today, Theresa May asked the UK parliament once again to extend the Brexit negotiations. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn was right last Tuesday when he countered May’s announcement that she would be making such a request by saying: “We were promised there would be a deal last October – that didn’t happen. We were promised a meaningful vote on a deal in December – that didn’t happen. We were told to prepare for a further meaningful vote this week after the prime minister again promised to secure “significant and legally binding” changes to the backstop – and that hasn’t happened.”

Read more “May is gambling and playing for time” →

Their Internationalism and Ours

As the Brexit deadline nears with no deal in sight, we bring this contribution from Dr Paul O’Connell on the vexed question of internationalism and the nation-state. Arguing that the state ‘has not been transcended, but rather augmented to better serve the interests of capital’, he puts forward a vision of socialist internationalism that begins with the assertion and restoration of democracy and working-class power at a national level.

Read more “Their Internationalism and Ours” →

Reflections of a Remainer/Remoaner on the progressive potentials of…

by John Barry

As the Brexit deadline nears with no deal in sight, we bring you this reflective piece from Professor John Barry. A self-professed Remainer, he gives a thoughtful appraisal of the arguments for Lexit and the slogan of ‘taking back control’, concluding that the upheaval of Brexit opened up important strategic questions for the left.

Read more “Reflections of a Remainer/Remoaner on the progressive potentials of Brexit” →

Europe’s Far Right on the Rise

European policies are facing a challenge from the far right unprecedented in the post-WW2 era.

Read more “Europe’s Far Right on the Rise” →