- 10th May 2021
- 1 hr 13 mins
We talk to Allan Armstrong about the Scottish Left, the politics of Republicanism and Internationalism from Below, linking movements in Scotland, Ireland and across these islands, and his perspective on Scottish Independence, the 2014 referendum, and the current political landscape.

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In this episode we talk to Allan Armstrong. Allan has been an activist on the Left in Scotland since the late 1960s. He was a member of the International Socialists (later the Socialist Workers’ Party) during the 1970s and was a convenor of Scottish Rank & File Teachers, leaving the SWP when it sought to dissolve the latter group. As a part of the Red Republicans, he was involved in the foundation of the Scottish Socialist Alliance, which became the Scottish Socialist Party. Within the SSP, he was part of the Republican Communist Network, which disaffiliated from the SSP in 2012. With the RCN, Allan is active in the Radical Independence Campaign, and the recently formed Republican Socialist Platform.
Along with several articles, Allan has published two books: From Davitt to Connolly, and The Ghost of James Connolly.
We’ll discuss Allan’s experiences and political trajectory in Left activism in Scotland, from socialist groups as a student in Aberdeen in the 1960s to the contemporary Republican Communist Forum; the politics of Republicanism and Internationalism from Below, and linking movements in Scotland, Ireland and across these islands; his perspective on Scottish Independence and the 2014 referendum; and the current political landscape.
Allan’s website is Internationalism from Below, available at intfrobel.com . The Republican Communist Forum (until recently known as the Republican Communist Network) has its ‘Emancipation & Liberation’ website at republicancommunist.org . In particular, listeners may be interested in these pages to explore further:
Comments 2
Mr Alan Boylan
By: Alan Boylan | 10th May 2021, 5:29am
Excellent pod cast a look back at my own political history with this comrade the fight for republican politics is in safe hands with Allan and the RSP and RIC Alan b
Great podcast.
By: Stephen Coyle | 1st June 2021, 2:50pm
I enjoyed listening to Allan whom I have known for a good number of years. Unlike most of the Left in Scotland, he has been consistently principled on the matter of solidarity with the cause of Irish freedom, and has given practical assistance when called upon by Irish comrades in Scotland.
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