The fundamental reason for the turmoil in the north of Ireland and in the main party of Unionism is the outcome of Brexit and the NI Protocol which was part of it. These change the relationship with Britain – the north of Ireland is effectively in the same customs and trade bloc with the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the EU, while there is now a customs border between Britain and Ireland as a whole.
The Unionist and Loyalist communities have been misled by their own parties and lied to so as to serve Tory Party ambitions. The sectarian and supremacist ideology of those communities is under threat from the closer trade relationship with the Irish Republic that is a consequence of a Hard Brexit.
The claim from the Tory government and its army of media supporters that the latest Budget has ended austerity is completely false. It is very important for the left and the labour movement as a whole that they grasp the character of the new attacks to come, so that they can resist them.
Support for Sinn Féin has increased dramatically in the opinion polls ahead of the Irish general election to be held on 8 February.
Merely a few days after his election victory Johnson has already made crystal clear what ‘Get Brexit done’ means. The section of his rapidly spelt out agenda which attracted immediate left-wing media attention is the assault on working class rights in Britain. But considered internationally deeply threatening is that Johnson is adding Britain to Trump’s US, Bolsonaro’s Brazil, Saudi Arabia and other forces in a policy heading to climate catastrophe.
There can be no illusions. In the election the working class and oppressed have suffered a serious defeat at the hands of the Tories. It means that the Tory Party, purged even of its fake ‘wets’, has five years to carry out its project of the ‘Americanisation’ of British society – to savagely attack workers’ rights and social protection.
Jeremy Corbyn should not resign and Corbynism must continue to lead the party – that is even more vital given the Tory onslaught which is coming.
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