For socialists in Britain, the Irish question has always been a key test - and one that tragically much of the left here has failed. After all " a nation that enslaves another can ne’er itself be free". Socialists who fail to understand the role of British imperialism in Ireland cannot hope to lead a struggle for revolutionary change on this side of the Irish sea.
Socialist Outlook has always argued that the six county state in the North of Ireland is unreformable. But the Stormont agreement does not even attempt serious reforms. In Ireland our comrades with other socialists are campaigning for a vote against the settlement, a position we strongly support. Our job in Britain is both to develop an understanding of the nature of the sectarian state in the North and Britain’s role in creating and maintaining it, but also to fight for the end of British involvement.
The hollowness of the supposed peace settlement is graphically demonstrated by the fact that the agreement leaves effectively untouched the hated Royal Ulster Constabulary. These bodies of armed men exist to uphold and maintain the sectarian state.
Tony Blair has now reportedly invited one of Thatcher’s and Major’s trusted henchmen, Chris Patten, to "investigate" and possibly reform the RUC. This neatly sums up the limits of the "peace process" – in which the republican and nationalist parties have been pressed to give up any real demands in exchange for the most marginal and cosmetic changes to loyalist rule in the six counties.
The left in Britain needs to use the opportunity of the supposed review – which we can safely predict will lead to few, if any, significant changes – to broaden the debate here on this neglected issue, and demand the RUC be disbanded.
Blair’s intervention to prevent the publication of the Parades Commission report illustrates that its recommendation on Drumcree was bound to set the cat among the pigeons. Drumcree two years ago was what propelled David Trimble to his current position of prominence.
Unfortunately even on the question of the parades Sinn Fein, where they have influence in the residents committees, have given far too much ground to the Orange Order.
In their bid to present an ‘equality agenda’, Gerry Adams and his friends argue that if the unionists want a veto over the future of the Northern statelet then republicans should have a veto as to whether loyalist marches come through their areas. But unionist parades are by their very nature sectarian - this cannot be negotiated away any more than the essence of the Orange State.
Despite the disastrous settlement, even if the referenda go through, battles over these issues on the ground will also be critical.
The key problem is that the Sinn Fein leadership has been stuck in a blind alley for some time – the so called peace agreement is only the logical conclusion of this trajectory.
A breathing space is desperately needed in Ireland north and south for the republican and nationalist movement to reorient, to find a different strategy and develop new leaders.
British socialists must campaigning as vigorously as possible both for British withdrawal and against every manifestation of discrimination and bigotry against the nationalist community.