Friday 16 June 2017

EDINBURGH REPORT TO RIC NATIONAL FORUM IN DUNDEE ON JUNE 17th



1. General

            We have 112 card carrying members. We have monthly Assemblies and Organising Committee meetings.


2. Since the last National Forum in Glasgow on 1.4.17

a)         RIC- Edinburgh Assemblies

            i)         Wednesday, 26th April, Local Democracy - Going Beyond the Ballot Box

            In the run-up to the Scottish Local Council election, it was decided to organise this meeting. Maggie Chapman (Scottish Greens) and Brian Robertson (Cityof Edinburgh UNITE) introduced the topic. 14 people attended. This was followed by questions and discussions. See:-


            ii)         Monday, 5th May - Racism and the Rise of the Right in Europe

            Brendan McGeever introduced the topic. Luke Henderson facilitated. 20    people attended. This was followed by questions and discussions. See:-



b)         RIC-Edinburgh Organising Meetings

            i)         Monday, 13th April
                        4 people attended
        

            ii)        Tuesday, 9th May
                        3 people attended

            iii)       Monday, 12th June
                        5 people attended

It was agreed to send Allan A. and David S. to the RIC- National Forum on 17.6.17. It was agreed to suggest the following for future national organisation:- 


To meet the new situation, in which the likelihood of an IndyRef referendum had receded, the national body should be encouraged to organise quarterly events, for example modelled on the last joint conference with the Global Justice Movement ad the Scotland's Radical History events. It was also thought that the organisation of an annual cultural event could be included. The first priority though was to encourage strategic discussion on the Left about the new political situation we face. Perhaps the next RIC-E Assembly could provide a dry run for such an event nationally.

The discussions on maintaining organisation at the RIC-Scotland AGM held in Glasgow on 1.4.17 could also be followed up - see:-

http://radicalindyedinburgh.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/discussions-on-indyref2-at-ric-national.html

            iv)        Next OM is on Monday, 26th June


c)         Future RIC-E Assemblies

            i)         Tuesday, 20th June - GE2017: Independence, Corbyn and the Future

            Speakers:-  Sarah Collins (RISE) (George Kerevan (former SNP MP), Lynn            McCabe (Stop the Evictions Campaign), Pete McColl (Scottish Greens) Holly             Rigby (Momentum, London) Jonathon Shafi (RIC) . Facilitator - Eileen Cook

            ii)        The Independence Referendum in Catalunya

            To be organised at nest RIC-Edinburgh Organising Meeting


d)         Activities RIC-Edinburgh has been involved in since last National Forum

            i)         Saturday 29th April - The Life and Legacy of Antonio Gramsci  Event

            Instead of organising another Scottish Radical History event, it was decided to       support this event organised by the Edinburgh Peoples Festival. Among the speakers were RIC members - Ray Burnett and Hilary Wainwright. 135 people attended. See:-


            Ray's talk, Gramsci and Scotland Revisited, has been published in Scottish Left Review. See:-

            http://www.scottishleftreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SLR-Issue-99-      MayJune-2017-web-quality.pdf

            ii)        Edinburgh & Lothian May Day March and Rally, 6.5.17

            The RIC-Edinburgh banner was taken to this event.

            iii)       'We Are All Daniel Blake' report
            Since the first I Daniel screening on 26.11.16 in Edinburgh 24 screenings have been organised by individuals, organisations and community groups. Thousands have attended the screenings all over Edinburgh and beyond, including Tranent, Selkirk, Innerleithen, Dunblane and Stirling. 
            
The success of the screenings was largely due to the effort put in by local   groups but we were enormously helped by the support and funding from UNITE the Union who paid for all the venues and provided equipment where needed. 
            
Many who have attended the screenings want to go further and do something to address the issues raised in the film. 
            
On Saturday 13th May the first Advocacy training day was organised. 35 people crowded into the UNITE offices in York Place. The training was delivered by Mike Vallance and Gordon Donald from ECAP and by Sarah Glynn from the Scottish Unemployed Workers Campaign. 
            
There is further training in the pipeline. In June there is training for a group of Unison Health workers and local training coming up in Wester Hailes and in Innerleithen. 

            iv)        Yes2 Stall, Grassmarket, 13.5.17

            Produced the RIC-E promo leaflet, which was distributed at this stall.

            v)         Westminster General Election, 8.6.17

            A RIC- Edinburgh Statement was produced. This can be seen at:-


            This was also posted on the bella caledonia site.

            A shortened version was produced for the leaflet handed out at the RIC-Edinburgh Assembly on 28.5.17.


e)         Other Future activities for RIC Edinburgh

            i)         Hope Not Hate meeting, Saturday, 17th March, 14.00, Grassmarket Centre                                   

            This meeting is being held on the anniversary of the killing of Joe Cox MP.

            ii)        Rally in support of Women's March and Rally to Ban the Bomb,
                        (being held in New York) Saturday, 17th March, 16.00, The                             Mound


Allan Armstrong, 15.6.17






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