Mick McGahey remains a giant of socialism
RICHARD LEONARD MSP looks at the life and ideals of the famous miners' leader and all-round champion of working-class politics
The welcome news that Cuba has finally been removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list is tempered by the fact that Donald Trump, the man who put it there, is returning to the White House, warns NATASHA HICKMAN
Thanks to impressive progress in Britain with wind and solar generation, clean electricity now costs a fraction of the price of gas — yet the current system keeps bills artificially high to protect fossil fuels, writes TOM HARDY
By spreading race-based conspiracy theories, the billionaire tycoon turned right-wing provocateur has been seriously undermining the case against those who really did let victims of the grooming gangs down, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
Many Western countries are grappling with deep political instability. What are the causes of this, and what could be a possible way forward? asks MARC VANDEPITTE
KEITH BENNETT explains why, despite its present meagre economic outcomes, an honest and fruitful partnership with China is worth pursuing
Nick Wright talks to photographer and author JANINA STRUK
TODAY is the 25th anniversary of the death of Mick McGahey. The occasion will be marked by a debate in the Scottish Parliament on his legacy.
This is fitting. In his very first year as the leader of the Scottish miners, he went to the Scottish TUC Congress and called for the establishment of a Scottish Parliament in a federal United Kingdom.
In so doing he invoked the spirit of Bob Smillie and Keir Hardie, argued that the essence of socialism was the decentralisation of power, but decisively rejected “any theory of a classless Scotland,” citing the common bonds between the Scottish miners, the London dockers, the Durham miners and the Sheffield engineers.
More from this author
The super-rich falsely claim inheritance tax changes will devastate small farmers, while millionaire landowners continue enjoying numerous tax advantages — why is the SNP supporting this nonsense, asks RICHARD LEONARD
The 500 refinery jobs under threat at Grangemouth and underfunding in further education should be at the top of a new Scottish leader’s to-do list, argues RICHARD LEONARD MSP
The abolition of lay panels to decide on child hearings and the ‘lawyer-isation’ of the service will not serve vulnerable youngsters' interests, warns RICHARD LEONARD
With Jeremy Hunt’s latest Budget dusting off ideas about using nuclear energy to meet our environmental commitments, RICHARD LEONARD MSP warns that atomic ‘solutions’ aren’t all they’re cracked up to be
Similar stories
In a major conference this weekend, the Morning Star will bring together veterans of the great strike with leading organisers of today’s left and labour movement to chart the path forward, writes BEN CHACKO
