Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
THERE was a recent meeting of trade unionists in Scotland to consider the aftermath of EU referendum. If the fast-moving situation in Britain is complicated, in Scotland it is even more so.
A majority of voters opted to remain in the EU and the Scottish government is using this to conduct a major pro-EU campaign calling for Scotland’s continued membership.
In doing so, the SNP government is stressing the values of internationalism, economic co-operation and the freedom of movement — as against the reality of economically forced movement.
In part II of a serialisation of his new book, JOHN McINALLY explores how witch-hunting drives took hold in the Civil Service as the cold war emerged in the wake of WWII
Deep disillusionment with the Westminster cross-party consensus means rupture with the status quo is on the cards – bringing not only opportunities but also dangers, says NICK WRIGHT
In the run-up to the Communist Party congress in November ROB GRIFFITHS outlines a few ideas regarding its participation in the elections of May 2026
There is no doubt that Trump’s regime is a right-wing one, but the clash between the state apparatus and the national and local government is a good example of what any future left-wing formation will face here in Britain, writes NICK WRIGHT


