SRSM speech to John MacLean Rally 2011

SRSM speech to John MacLean Rally 2011

Copy below of this year's speech delivered by Alan Stewart of the Northern England Branch/Commun of the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement.

First of all I bring fraternal greetings from the northern england branch/commun of the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement.

The branch is now a year old. We've met regularly in places like Huddersfield, Stalybridge and Halifax.

We've been on anti-cut marches, including on the TUC March in London.

We've been on a CND demonstration at the US spy base Menwith Hill.

We've met other organisations such as Socialists for a Republic for discussions.

And we are looking to arrange public events -including seminars/workshops/debates- in the year ahead.

Of course there are particular issues -particularly difficulties- for us, as republican socialists, in organising in the north of england.

For the reality is that the labour movement in england hasn't just adapted or simply accommodated itself to the status quo. Over the years it has positively venerated -fawned over- the British constitution.

For most of its life Labour has supported the Union. Backed wars abroad. Opposed real economic political change. Its' members -yes, even its working class members- have often enthused about monarchy and empire.

Because let's be honest about it. Parts of that working class have traditionally seen themselves as part of a labour aristocracy benefitting from that empire and from imperial adventures abroad.

And it's not only the Labour Party that ought to be in the firing line...that ought to be the object of our critique.

Whole sections of the Brit left -including many who see themselves as Marxists or in the Marxist tradition- have a simply shocking record when it comes to the national question, when it comes to Scottish independence and when it comes to British oppression in Ireland.

Our job as republican socialists must be to challenge that chauvinism.

We need to remind the Brit left that the demand for national self determination lies at the heart of internationalism.

We need to remind them that socialists in oppressor nations have a duty to accept and to fight for the rights of oppressed nations.

And we need to remind them -as Marx, Connolly and MacLean would have done- that workers who side with national oppression keep themselves in chains.

And the sad thing is that -freed from its links to the British state- there is a great English socialist radical tradition that could still be revived. The tradition of the Levellers (who refused to fight in Ireland), the Diggers, Thomas Paine, the Chartists...and even up to the present day...how refreshing to hear Billy Bragg's comments about Scottish independence.

So we do face challenges. In fact we all face challenges as republican socialists. We need to build unity for the struggles ahead.

But republican socialist is alive and well. Only last week left wing Basque nationalists -the Amaiur coalition- won several seats in the Spanish Congress and Senate. Our ideas -the ideas of popular sovereignty, national self determination, anti-imperialism and economic social justice- are as relevant as ever.

Relevant at a time of capitalist crisis. At a time when all over the Arab world workers are in revolt. And relevant at a time when bit by bit the Celtic nations are breaking up the British state!

Onwards to Scottish independence! Onwards to Irish freedom! And, as John MacLean would have said, "All Hail the Scottish Workers Republic!

"Thank you comrades for your support!