Integrated education is vital to the future of a non-sectarian Northern Ireland, says Gary Kent There was a time when Northern Ireland barely made any impact on mainland and mainstream British politics. It was, to use a phrase popularised by the Sunday Times, John Bull’s slum. After partition in 1921, which Britain accepted rather...
Articles
You don’t need a weatherman…
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Mike Peters takes issue with the whole concept of natural disasters In January 2005 there was a programme on British TV about global climate change, in a series called ‘War on Terra’. Seven dates were selected to illustrate the recent alarming escalation in the number of ‘exceptional’ meteorological...
Why is France burning?
Doug Ireland traces the historic, social and racial roots of the violent rebellions which swept France this autumn. The night of Saturday 5 November was the 10th day of the spreading youth riots that had much of France in flames this autumn. It was the worst night since the first riot erupted in a...
Where do we go from here?
Greg Power pays tribute to Robin Cook, who died in August, and argues that his contribution to democratic socialism has been underestimated The last chapter in Robin Cook’s memoir is entitled ‘Where do we go from here?’ It is essentially a plea for the party in government to be more explicit about the values...
Forward, not back
Following Labour’s third election victory, Peter Hunt argues that mutuality should be at the heart of modern socialism Months after the ballots closed, memories of the campaign remain fresh. Those of us with the experience of several general elections will have been struck by how under-whelmed the electorate was with Labour; how hard it...
Compass points north
Will Brown reports on Compass roadshows in Leeds and Gateshead Following its successful conference in London last June, the centre-left Labour Party organisation, Compass, embarked on a series of regional ‘roadshows’ taking in Yorkshire and Humberside, the north east, Scotland and Wales, among other areas. Besides launching regional Compass groupings, the purpose of these...
A few thoughts on ‘anti-Americanism’
ALISTAIR GRAHAM responds to Alex Miles’ attack on left wing anti-Americanism. I’m at something of a loss about how to respond to the article by Alex Miles (‘An Anti-Americanism of Fools’, Democratic Socialist, Winter 2006/07). While I would not want to disagree too much with the central thesis of his piece, I did wonder...
Shaking up the left
HARRY BARNES finds Nick Cohen’s book, What’s Left?, a stimulating yet flawed polemic. Love it or hate it, this is a readable and serious political romp. In What’s Left? How liberals lost their way, Nick Cohen wishes to shake up wide elements of left and liberal opinion which he feels ignore some clear home...
The right to the city
If our urban world has been imagined and made then it can be re-imagined and re-made, says DAVID HARVEY. The city, the noted urban sociologist Robert Park wrote, is: Man’s most consistent and on the whole, his most successful attempt to remake the world he lives in more after his heart’s desire. But, if...
A time of peace?
As power-sharing devolution emerges in Northern Ireland, PAUL DIXON wonders how long the political peace will last. On 8 May 2007 devolution was restored to Northern Ireland as Ian Paisley of the Democratic Unionist Party and Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein were sworn in as First and Deputy First Minister. The lion has lain...
Thirteen wasted years
Former MP HARRY BARNES offers his own take on Tony Blair’s time in office, and his thoughts on Labour’s future. Few of those who voted for Tony Blair in the Labour leadership contest of 1994 knew or cared about his new Labour project. It was sufficient for the centre and right-wing of the party...
Leaders not into the future
Does Labour’s change of leadership reflect anything more politically profound than a change of personnel? HAZEL HAED asseses the evidence. Gordon Brown’s long and painful wait to assume the top spot in British politics is now coming to an end. After enduring Tony Blair’s farcically long goodbye, Brown was shorn of the need actually...