Democracy History Industry Left Politics Richie Venton Trade Unions Uncategorized Ungagged Podcasts

Ungagged Presents: Richie Venton on the lessons of the Miner’s Stike

Richie Venton is an activist and writer, and is a founder member of the Scottish Socialist Party.  He is the Workplace and unions organiser of the party.  He was the central organise of the Merseyside socialists who led a victorious mass movement against Thatcher’s government in the ’80’s, which won huge reforms for the people […]

Climate & Environment Culture Wars Democracy Disability Rights Elections Human Rights Immigration Industry Israel-Gaza Labour Poverty Privilege Scotland Scottish Independence Ungagged Writing Val Waldron

Dreaming in Green by Val Waldron

Not a week goes by in Scottish politics when the decision to vote No in 2014 does not rear its ugly head. November 2023, the Scottish Broadcasting Company reports growing unrest south of the border. Massive crowds are gathering daily outside Westminster, demanding an end to Tory rule, following emergency legislation allowing the  General Election […]

Climate & Environment Industry Left Politics Maggie Chapman Scottish Greens Ungagged Writing

North East communities must lead Scotland’s Just Transition 

This last July saw the 34th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster, in which 167 people needlessly lost their lives. Workers on two nearby platforms, Claymore and Tartan which pumped to Piper Alpha, could see that the platform they were pumping to was alight. But they had been told never to shut off the oil […]

Campaigns Coronavirus Corruption Democracy Equality & Inclusion Industry Left Politics Privilege Scotland Scottish Independence Trade Unions

Reinstate Richie Venton

I just woke up this morning to this article.  My friend Richie Venton, a superb union representative for the union USDAW, and IKEA worker, has been sacked. During lockdown, I phoned Richie about an issue a family member was going through in her work. He didn’t have to give me advice – Richie was representing […]

Brexit Democracy Equality & Inclusion Fascism Industry Left Politics Privilege Scotland Scottish Independence

Who are the “Working Class” today?

The subject of Social Class is an area where angels fear to tread, but in these times of deep fragmentation of the UK political Left, it is time to look at what the “Working Class” means to Socialists in the 21st Century. As I write, and the news about PM Boris Johnson’s planned prorogation of […]

Brexit Campaigns Debra Torrance Elections Industry Left Politics Neil Scott Scotland Ungagged Podcasts

Watch Puppies on YouTube…

Available FREE  on iTunes and Podbean Welcome to part two of Ungagged’s podcast based loosely around the Karl Liebknecht.” quote, “The basic law of capitalism is you or I, not both you and I.” On this episode, Paul Sheridan lead singer of The Wakes tells us, “Profit before people, coca cola is it!, The talented Debra Torrance tells […]

Climate & Environment Economy & Finance Industry Scotland Ungagged Writing

Michelin Closure Highlights Need For A Just Transition

I was devastated, but perhaps not really surprised, to hear of the closure of Dundee’s largest industrial employment base – Michelin – a couple of weeks ago. Last month I wrote about how the 2008 financial crash signalled just how broken our economy is. The Michelin closure is perhaps the most recent example, close to […]