Facebook.Com/Scottishsocialistvoice @Ssv Voice INDEPENDENCE

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Facebook.Com/Scottishsocialistvoice @Ssv Voice INDEPENDENCE One year on: Colin Fox Emily: Denise on the mass grassroots Morton on Emily pro-indy campaign Davison’s legacy • see page 5 • see page 9 £1 • issue 419 • 7th - 20th June 2013 facebook.com/scottishsocialistvoice Labour, Tories: BITTER AS bankers’ pal Alastair Darling wooed the dwindling band of Scottish Tories in Stirling, Labour unionist splits - led by Gordon Brown - widened. TOGETAH growing reEvulsion R at sharing a platform with the Tories and Lib Dems behind the savage austerity cuts saw the first No camp split, with ‘United With Labour’ going their own way. Former Labour MP and MSP John McAllion lifts the lid on the DAVID CAMERON: master of cuts ALISTAIR DARLING: ‘UK OK’ murky stew - see page 3... facebook.com/ScottishSocialistVoice @ssv_voice INDEPENDENCE bLy Kaen bFergouson ur and Tories: bitter toachigevements itn bhenefiets, her alth and social provision - all accom - As the latest round of benefit cuts panied by crocodile tears and hand slash the income of the disabled wringing about “hard times”. and Bedroom Tax horror tales grow The truth is that Labour is in the anybody looking for relief from midst of a wholesale break with its Labour had their hopes dashed by historic past achievements under shadow chancellor Ed Balls who the cloak of making “communi - warned of “iron rule” and cuts in ties” responsible for services and winter payments to wealthier pen - sub letting key services to the vol - sioners under Labour. untary sector in what will amount The latest stage in the auction to to back door privatisation. prove who can be toughest on the poor, ConDems or Labour, came Fault line as it was revealed that former Anyone with illusions about Labour Chancellor Alistair Dar - being saved from the wicked To - ling is speaking at the conference ries by valiant Labour needs ur - of that isolated fringe group, the BALLS! shadow chancellor warned of ‘iron rule’ and more cuts gently to read the not so small Scottish Tories, as Better Together print and understand that Red Ed, chief. Of course while there is elsewhere in this Voice , the brutal assaults ranging for plans to priva - Johann and her key backers long growing unease in Labour ranks at truth is that beyond the national tise Royal Mail to proposals to fur - ago dropped Labour’s social dem - the prospect of sharing a platform question there much agreement ther weaken trade unions. ocratic past and are now entirely with the hard liners in the West - between the threesome. Not to be outdone Labour joins prisoners of the idea that markets minster coalition in the anti inde - At the heart of this is the fact the auction with Scottish leader are the answer. It is this reality - pendence front, which we look at that all the Westminster gang are Johann Lamont attacking the pro - that markets, global finance and Edinburgh working to a common belief that, vision of free prescription under a war for resources are shared val - People’s Festival to rescue the greedy rich who thin smoke screen of needing the ues of the Better Together three - wrecked the economy, everybody money for cancer sufferers and re - some - that is the key fault line in BENEFIT NIGHT else it to face cuts, sackings, soar - treating wholesale from other the debate about independence. Tues 11 June ing prices and austerity stretching keynote policies dressed up as an There must be no stone left un - to the far horizon. attack on “Freebie Scotland”. turned to drive home the message This is the source of the endless And nobody should swallow that a No vote is a vote for dra - media drum beat about scroungers the Balls spin that the attack on matic cuts, sackings and in favour and benefit cheats and almost winter fuel allowances is just to of private greed over public need. daily announcements of “crack tweak things and deprive the rich Only a Yes vote can break with downs” on what must be - at least of their payments. The key part of the pro-war, market-worshipping, in Daily Mail land - the laziest the Balls announcement was the job and service-slashing market population on the planet. In turn promise of an “iron rule” on fi - and money dictatorship backed this helps generate increasingly vi - nance if they win in 2015. by the No parties and open a cious ConDem attacks which are This clearly opens the door to a prospect of a society which put gathering pace and backed up by wholesale dismantling of key people before profit. To subscribe, fill in this form and send it to: Scottish Socialist Voice, Suite 370, 4th Floor, Central Chambers, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow G2 6LD. The Stand Comedy Club, Or telephone: 0781 126 5388 Edinburgh Doors: 7.30pm - Show: 8pm Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to ‘Scottish Socialist Voice’ Featuring two of the finest Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/scottishsocialistvoice & Twitter: @ssv_voice comedians in Scotland - Susan Calman and Vladimir Name.......................................................................................... McTavish - and an all star line Address....................................................................................... up. Tickets: £8 waged, £5 unwaged, available via the .................................................................................................... Edinburgh People’s Festival Phone......................................................................................... website and from The Stand, 5 York Place, Edinburgh. Email........................................................................................... Tel: 0844 335 8879 I enclose: g £5 for 5 issues g £10 for 10 issues g £20 for 20 issues thestand.co.uk edinburghpeoplesfestival.org Solidarity rate: g £6 for 5 issues g £12 for 10 issues g £24 for 20 issues 2 • Scottish Socialist Voice • issue 419 McALLION CRACKS IN LABOUR’S SUPPORT FOR BETTER TOGETHER ARE WIDENING John McAllion reports former Chancellor will rub shoulders with the authors of THE three opinion polls taken in the tax inside and join with them May on voting intentions in the in setting up a military wing of independence referendum show the “Better Together” campaign an average No vote of 53 per to be called “Forces Together”. cent as compared to an average Darling, one of Labour’s most Yes vote of just 32 per cent. senior figures in Scottish A year on from the launch of politics, appears determined the Yes campaign these figures that “Better Together” will should have been music to the continue to lead and to ears of “Better Together” dominate the No campaign. campaigners. We might have This will cause Scottish expected plaudits for the Labour no end of problems. It is campaign’s chair Alistair Darling now clear that the general and all round satisfaction with a secretaries of Scottish trade job so far well done. unions are failing to deliver their Instead, we have seen the unions official backing and first serious split in the” Better ALISTAIR DARLING: will support for the No campaign. Together” campaign. make an unsurprising The general secretaries of the The launch of “United with appearance at the Scottish Labour affiliated unions are Labour” to make the Labour Tories conference themselves already on board Party’s case for the UK and to was widespread unease among undoubtedly an attempt to the No campaign but are unable operate separately from the rank and file party members pacify a restive rank and file. to deliver their members who cross party campaign is a clear about sharing a no platform with Likewise, his verbal onslaught look at “Better Together” and sign that all is not well inside the the Tories. Dave Watson, a against a Powellite Tory party see only the Tories and the Lib unionist camp. It was no senior figure in UNISON, made spinning off to the right for fear Dems. accident that Gordon Brown, it clear that many unions also of UKIP was meant to put as once likened by Darling to the “had difficulties” about much distance as possible Key battles Labour Government’s mad campaigning with Tories. between Scottish Labour and So far only ASLEF has woman in the attic, was the star This rank and file revolt Cameron’s Tories. backed the Better Together of the Labour launch. demanding that their party It was factually wrong – since campaign while the STUC distance itself from the “Better 1945 Scotland has only once refused an invitation to join the Split Together” campaign is easy to voted Tory (1955) but has cross party campaign. It was also no accident that understand. Labour’s two main suffered 9 Tory governments It is inside the trade union the most significant Labour partners in “Better Together” are thanks to English voters. movement that one of the key absentee at the high profile the two parties who together It is because of the Union that battles over the referendum is launch in the Commonwealth form the ConDem Coalition we can’t ditch the Tories. But now being fought. While the Arena was none other than currently waging class war Brown here wasn’t dealing in Tories and Lib Dems are a total Alistair Darling himself. against working people across facts. He was telling the party turn off for most trade unionists, Brown and Darling disagreed this island. faithful what they wanted to so too are Labour’ continuing over the economy when they It is bad enough that Labour hear regardless of the facts. support for anti-trade union laws were in government together councils have already started Unfortunately for him it didn’t along with the leadership’s and now they clearly disagree eviction proceedings over the work. Within a week of “United acceptance of austerity and its with each other on how the hated bedroom tax, without with Labour” being launched ditching of universal benefits. referendum will be won. Yet the Labour leaders then being Alistair Darling announced he “United with Labour” is a split inside the unionist camp caught on camera in a unionist would be sharing a platform feeble attempt to cover over runs deeper than the embrace with the Tory authors with Tories at their Scottish party these cracks and to con grass personality clash between these of that tax.
Recommended publications
  • Download Issue
    Scottish Left Review Issue 79 November/December 2013 £2.00 Comment Scottish Left Review Issue 79 November/December 2013 t is difficult to maintain constitutional Ineutrality at this tail-end of 2013. Of course we will continue to do our best to keep the SLR open as a space for Contents anyone on the Scottish left, a place where they can feel at home and contribute Comment .......................................................2 to a debate that stretches beyond the boundaries of party or constitutional Democracy in writing ....................................4 position. That is our duty as a magazine Jean Urquhart created expressly for that purpose. Solid foundations for change .........................6 But the duty lies not only on us to Michael Keating keep that space open but on all sides to fill that space. Because it can surely not Our share of the future ..................................8 be possible for us to face the desolation Robin McAlpine which lies across Scottish society in the dog-days of this unlucky year without Graveyard or get-together ..........................10 some sort of answer to what lies all Isobel Lindsay around us. Welfare Nation State ...................................12 What answer to Grangemouth? John McInally Facile talk of ‘the need to work together’ is an insult to the collective intelligence. Labour and the trade unions .......................14 All it states is that if we keep the fork Gregor Gall, Richard Leonard, Bob Crow and let others keep the knife, it will be impossible for us to eat on our own. That Real energy answers ...................................18 may not be a bad thing, but someone Andy Cumbers needs to explain why.
    [Show full text]
  • November 2002
    Nations and Regions: The Dynamics of Devolution Quarterly Monitoring Programme Scotland Quarterly Report November 2002 The monitoring programme is jointly funded by the ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust Contents 1. Scottish Executive Barry Winetrobe 4 2. The Scottish Parliament Mark Shephard 7 3. The Media Philip Schlesinger 11 4. Public Attitudes and identity John Curtice 14 5. Scotland/UK Relations Alex Wright 18 6. Scotland/International Relations Alex Wright 22 7. Relations with Local Government Neil McGarvey 27 9. Legal Disputes Barry Winetrobe 31 10. Political parties James Mitchell 32 11. Public policies Barry Winetrobe 34 2 Key points: James Mitchell — First Minister Jack McConnell became embroiled in an embarrassing internal constituency row over local party funds; — Culture Minister Mike Watson broke collective cabinet responsibility by speaking out—but not voting—against Executive health policy fearing that he might lose votes in the forthcoming Scottish elections; — Herald newspaper went up for sale with the prospect that it will be bought by owners of Scotsman rivals. 3 1. Scottish Executive Barry Winetrobe 1.1 Collective responsibility The application of the doctrine of collective responsibility has been under the spotlight in the Glasgow hospitals issue. The Culture Minister, Mike Watson, has been a leading public opponent of the reorganisation plan, but voted with the Executive in a debate on the issue on 12 September. His MPA, Janis Hughes, put herself in an even more unusual position, by abstaining on the Executive amendment to the critical SNP motion, but then voting for the as-amended motion. The First Minister refused to sack either, on the basis that they had both adhered to collective responsibility by their votes.
    [Show full text]
  • © Patricia M`Cafferty, May 2004. Abstract
    PATRICIA MCCAFFERTY WORKING THE 'THIRD WAY': NEW LABOUR, EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS, AND SCOTTISH DEVOLUTION THESIS PRESENTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW MAY 2004 © PATRICIA M`CAFFERTY, MAY 2004. ABSTRACT Labour's election victory in 1997 was heralded as a new era, the dawn of a Third Way, a novel attempt to chart a unique political course overcoming the perceivedlimitations of both New Right and Old Labour. In this thesis I explore the era of New Labour generally and, in particular, the impact of the Third Way on working lives. Key to my analysis is New Labour's attempt to synthesise oppositional interests,in particular those of capital and labour. This involves a crucial rhetoric of flexibility, competitivenessand partnership. My research explores the rhetoric of New Labour in relation to the reality of this new force in power. It does this by: " drawing out key features in the development of New Labour, especially its relation to Old Labour; " examining central elementsof New Labour ideology; " arguing that Scotland should be seen as central to the transition from Old to New :Labour; " utilising a case study of industrial relations developments in a major electronics factory in the West of Scotland and, to a lesser extent, key developmentsin public sector employment. My main finding is that where New Labour's ideology promisespositive benefits, the form of its implementation has negative impacts for workers. Since I take New Labour as a process, my thesis concludes with a more speculative exploration of possible future developments,both in relations to New Labour's role in them, and their possible impact on the New Labour project.
    [Show full text]
  • Rosa Parks and Emily Davison
    Year Achievements Discovering... in the past and 2 Rosa Parks andtheir impacts Emily Davison on our lives Key learning Identify what makes an Recognise similarities and Explain how Rosa Parks Explain how Emily Davison Recognise similarities and Understand and explain the individual significant. differences to 1955 and now. became significant. became significant. differences about RP and ED impact that Rosa Parks and and their achievements. Emily Davison had on modern society. Key Vocabulary Key Places Key People & Key Knowledge Rosa Parks Activist – a person who campaigns to bring about London - England • Civil rights activist in the mid to late 20th Century. political or social change. • She refused to give up her seat to a white Emily passenger on December 1st, 1955 and was Civil Rights – the rights of citizens to political and Davison’s arrested. social freedom and equality. birthplace • This launched the Montgomery bus boycott (5th Dec, 1995-20th Dec, 1996) Segregation – the enforced separation of different • At this time, black people were segregated and racial groups in a country, community or establishment. discriminated for the colour of their skin. Rosa Parks • Rosa Parks changed laws on segregation in the Equality – the state of being equal, especially in status. Feb 4, 1913 – Oct 24, 2005 USA, starting with transportation. Rights and opportunities. Carlisle Park, Prejudice – preconceived opinion that is not based on Northumberland reason or actual experience. – Statue of Emily Emily Davison Davison • A women’s equal rights activist who quit her job as a teacher to join the Women’s Social and Political Boycott – withdraw from something in protest.
    [Show full text]
  • Process Paper and Bibliography
    ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources Books Kenney, Annie. Memories of a Militant. London: Edward Arnold & Co, 1924. Autobiography of Annie Kenney. Lytton, Constance, and Jane Warton. Prisons & Prisoners. London: William Heinemann, 1914. Personal experiences of Lady Constance Lytton. Pankhurst, Christabel. Unshackled. London: Hutchinson and Co (Publishers) Ltd, 1959. Autobiography of Christabel Pankhurst. Pankhurst, Emmeline. My Own Story. London: Hearst’s International Library Co, 1914. Autobiography of Emmeline Pankhurst. Newspaper Articles "Amazing Scenes in London." Western Daily Mercury (Plymouth), March 5, 1912. Window breaking in March 1912, leading to trials of Mrs. Pankhurst and Mr. & Mrs. Pethick- Lawrence. "The Argument of the Broken Pane." Votes for Women (London), February 23, 1912. The argument of the stone: speech delivered by Mrs Pankhurst on Feb 16, 1912 honoring released prisoners who had served two or three months for window-breaking demonstration in November 1911. "Attempt to Burn Theatre Royal." The Scotsman (Edinburgh), July 19, 1912. PM Asquith's visit hailed by Irish Nationalists, protested by Suffragettes; hatchet thrown into Mr. Asquith's carriage, attempt to burn Theatre Royal. "By the Vanload." Lancashire Daily Post (Preston), February 15, 1907. "Twenty shillings or fourteen days." The women's raid on Parliament on Feb 13, 1907: Christabel Pankhurst gets fourteen days and Sylvia Pankhurst gets 3 weeks in prison. "Coal That Cooks." The Suffragette (London), July 18, 1913. Thirst strikes. Attempts to escape from "Cat and Mouse" encounters. "Churchill Gives Explanation." Dundee Courier (Dundee), July 15, 1910. Winston Churchill's position on the Conciliation Bill. "The Ejection." Morning Post (London), October 24, 1906. 1 The day after the October 23rd Parliament session during which Premier Henry Campbell- Bannerman cold-shouldered WSPU, leading to protest led by Mrs Pankhurst that led to eleven arrests, including that of Mrs Pethick-Lawrence and gave impetus to the movement.
    [Show full text]
  • Stewart2019.Pdf
    Political Change and Scottish Nationalism in Dundee 1973-2012 Thomas A W Stewart PhD Thesis University of Edinburgh 2019 Abstract Prior to the 2014 independence referendum, the Scottish National Party’s strongest bastions of support were in rural areas. The sole exception was Dundee, where it has consistently enjoyed levels of support well ahead of the national average, first replacing the Conservatives as the city’s second party in the 1970s before overcoming Labour to become its leading force in the 2000s. Through this period it achieved Westminster representation between 1974 and 1987, and again since 2005, and had won both of its Scottish Parliamentary seats by 2007. This performance has been completely unmatched in any of the country’s other cities. Using a mixture of archival research, oral history interviews, the local press and memoires, this thesis seeks to explain the party’s record of success in Dundee. It will assess the extent to which the character of the city itself, its economy, demography, geography, history, and local media landscape, made Dundee especially prone to Nationalist politics. It will then address the more fundamental importance of the interaction of local political forces that were independent of the city’s nature through an examination of the ability of party machines, key individuals and political strategies to shape the city’s electoral landscape. The local SNP and its main rival throughout the period, the Labour Party, will be analysed in particular detail. The thesis will also take time to delve into the histories of the Conservatives, Liberals and Radical Left within the city and their influence on the fortunes of the SNP.
    [Show full text]
  • The Battle of Equality Contents 1
    The Battle Of Equality Contents 1. Contents 2. Women’s Rights 3. 10 Famous women who made women’s suffrage happen. 4. Suffragettes 5. Suffragists 6. Who didn’t want women’s suffrage 7. Time Line of The Battle of Equality 8. Horse Derby 9. Pictures Woman’s Rights There were two groups that fought for woman's rights, the WSPU and the NUWSS. The NUWSS was set up by Millicent Fawcett. The WSPU was set up by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. The WSPU was created because they didn’t want to wait for women’s rights by campaigning and holding petitions. They got bored so they created the WSPU. The WSPU went to the extreme lengths just to be heard. Whilst the NUWSS jus campaigned for women’s rights. 10 Famous women who made women’s suffrage happen. Emmeline Pankhurst (suffragette) - Leader of the suffragettes Christabel Pankhurst (suffragette)- Director of the most dangerous suffragette activities Constance Lytton (suffragette)- Daughter of viceroy Robert Bulwer-Lytton Emily Davison (suffragette)- Killed by kings horse Millicent Fawcett (suffragist)- Leader of the suffragist Edith Garrud (suffragette)- World professional Jiu-Jitsu master Silvia Pankhurst (suffragist)- Focused on campaigning and got expelled from the suffragettes by her sister Ethel Smyth (suffragette)- Conducted the suffragette anthem with a toothbrush Leonora Cohen (suffragette)- Smashed the display case for the Crown Jewels Constance Markievicz (suffragist)- Played a prominent role in ensuring Winston Churchill was defeated in elections Suffragettes The suffragettes were a group of women who wanted to vote. They did dangerous things like setting off bombs. The suffragettes were actually called The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU).
    [Show full text]
  • Post-Brexit: Thatcherites Snatch Power
    Rail guards stand firm: RMT Coup and counter strikers hold private train coup: tyranny in operater Abellio to account Turkey • see pages 12,10&11 • see page 8 £1 • issue 481 • 5th – 18th August 2016 scottishsocialistvoice.wordpress.com POST-BREXIT: THATCHERITES SNATCH POWER As Labour implodes, the choice is independence or a generation of Tory rule • SCRAP TRIDENT! Jobs not bombs • NO TO RACISM! Refugees welcome • END POVERTY PAY! £10 min. wage Thanks to Eddie Truman for the inspiration EDDIE TRUMAN EDDIE TRUMAN: hundreds have paid tribute to Eddie, who died on July 1st. Eddie was a founder member of the SSP and made friends across the political divide through a lifetime of tireless activism. Eddie is pictured above with former SSP MSP Frances Curran (photo: Craig Maclean) and left, with his partner Catriona Grant. A Voice -style tribute was handed out at his funeral Hundreds remember Eddie Truman: socialist, polemicist and grandfather by Ken Ferguson has deprived us all of years we analysed the world every mo - old grandfather but a carer for should have been able to share ment he was awake. his grandchildren. EDDIE TRUMAN, one of the with him and for me, as I am “He analysed it politically, “Last year Eddie started to founder members of the SSP, sure with others, leaves an socially, and economically. He become unwell and from mid- long term socialist activist, aching of sadness and regret. analysed it through philosophy April until his death on July 1st, photographer and polemicist in At his funeral at a packed and music. His analysis and he was in hospital three times.
    [Show full text]
  • Constitutional Convention for Giving Firm Shape to That Will
    We Commend ..... This report is about practical intent. It says: "Here is what we are going to do," not "here is what we would like". Those who seek inspirational home rule rhetoric are respectfully directed elsewhere, including to the Convention's own previous publications. We have moved on. We regard the argument in principle as compelling. The longing of the people of Scotland for their own Parliament rings clear and true every time opinion is sounded. We believe that the momentum for change is now too great to deny; and that a Scottish Parliament will soon be meeting for the first time in nearly three centuries. What has been missing has been a practical scheme for bringing the Parliament into existence, and a hard-headed assessment of what it will be able to achieve. That is the gap which this report fills. This report shows that the Parliament can work, and it shows how. In doing so, it answers opponents who have tried to portray a Scottish Parliament as a pipe- dream, a fantasy which the Scots, unlike other peoples around the world, somehow cannot turn into reality. The Convention has a diverse membership, as diverse as we could make it. Diversity and unanimity are not natural companions. It is the instinct of political parties to disagree with one another, and the instinct of civic groups like the churches, the trade unions and others to be impatient with the preoccupations of politicians. This has meant that a lot of time and effort has been required to arrive at the proposals in this document.
    [Show full text]
  • Identity of Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison Revealed in BFI Film
    Scenes in the Record Demonstration of Suffragettes (1910), Emily Wilding Davison 2nd from right. Source: BFI National Archive Identity of Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison revealed in BFI film footage for the first time For Immediate release: 6 June 2018, London The BFI is thrilled to announce the discovery of previously unidentified moving image footage of iconic Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison revealed within a film of a Suffragettes procession in 1910, Scenes in the Record Demonstration of Suffragettes (1910) held by the BFI National Archive and available to view for free on BFI Player as part of the BFI’s Suffragettes on Film collection. This is a significant find as the only previously known footage featuring Emily Davison came from the 1913 Epsom Derby Day, in which she lost her life, and from her funeral procession. The discovery was made by writer and performer Deborah Clair who was watching the BFI’s Suffragettes on Film collection as research for her new play about Davison, A Necessary Woman. Whilst studying Scenes in the Record Demonstration of Suffragettes (1910) Deborah Clair thought she saw Emily Davison in the Suffragette procession, in her graduate gown and mortar board, “A familiar figure emerged. I instantly knew it was her right away and I even cried out, ‘Emily’ almost to get her attention! Then, even more strangely, the figure stops as the line temporarily halts and she looks directly at the camera. I could see her up close, in motion, for the first time. She was alive and she looked – defiant!” Clair compared the moving image to a photo she knew of Davison held by the National Portrait Gallery.
    [Show full text]
  • SLR I15 March April 03.Indd
    scottishleftreview comment Issue 15 March/April 2003 A journal of the left in Scotland brought about since the formation of the t is one of those questions that the partial-democrats Scottish Parliament in July 1999 Imock, but it has never been more crucial; what is your vote for? Too much of our political culture in Britain Contents (although this is changing in Scotland) still sees a vote Comment ...............................................................2 as a weapon of last resort. Democracy, for the partial- democrat, is about giving legitimacy to what was going Vote for us ..............................................................4 to happen anyway. If what was going to happen anyway becomes just too much for the public to stomach (or if Bill Butler, Linda Fabiani, Donald Gorrie, Tommy Sheridan, they just tire of the incumbents or, on a rare occasion, Robin Harper are actually enthusiastic about an alternative choice) then End of the affair .....................................................8 they can invoke their right of veto and bring in the next lot. Tommy Sheppard, Dorothy Grace Elder And then it is back to business as before. Three million uses for a second vote ..................11 Blair is the partial-democrat par excellence. There are David Miller two ways in which this is easily recognisable. The first, More parties, more choice?.................................14 and by far the most obvious, is the manner in which he Isobel Lindsay views international democracy. In Blair’s world view, the If voting changed anything...................................16 purpose of the United Nations is not to make a reasoned, debated, democratic decision but to give legitimacy to the Robin McAlpine actions of the powerful.
    [Show full text]
  • The Case of the UK Suffragettes (1906–1914)
    G Model SON-733; No. of Pages 11 ARTICLE IN PRESS Social Networks xxx (2012) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Social Networks journa l homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/socnet Covert social movement networks and the secrecy-efficiency trade off: The case ଝ of the UK suffragettes (1906–1914) ∗ Nick Crossley , Gemma Edwards, Ellen Harries, Rachel Stevenson Mitchell Centre for Social Network Analysis, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, UK a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Keywords: This paper formulates and empirically tests a number of hypotheses regarding the impact of covertness Covert networks upon network structure. Specifically, hypotheses are deduced from theoretical arguments regarding a Secrecy-efficiency trade off ‘secrecy-efficiency trade off’ which is said to shape covert networks. The paper draws upon data con- Social movements cerning the UK suffragettes. It is taken from a publicly archived UK Home Office document listing 1992 Suffragettes court appearances (for suffrage related activities), involving 1214 individuals and 394 court sessions, between 1906 and 1914. Network structure at earlier phases of suffragette activism, when the move- ment was less covert, is compared with that during the final phase, when it was more covert and meets the definitional criteria of what we call a ‘covert social movement network’ (CSMN). Support for the vari- ous hypotheses tested is variable but the key claims derived from the idea of the secrecy-efficiency trade off are supported. Specifically, the suffragettes’ network becomes less dense and less degree centralised as it becomes more covert.
    [Show full text]