WITH almost all public campaigning by the Yes movement suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic, the independence activists of All Under One Banner (AUOB) have switched to functioning online and will host a talk and discussion led by author Murray Armstrong.
The former long-serving journalist at The Guardian, where he was associated editor, has a new book called The Fight For Scottish Democracy, Rebellion and Reform in 1820, which will be the main subject of his talk tonight at 7pm. This is the latest event that marks the bicentenary of the rebellion of April 1820, also known as the Radical War.
Details of how to join in the Zoom meeting can be found on AUOB’s Facebook page and Twitter account, as well as the website auob.org.
The Airdrie-born Armstrong said: “My book was published earlier this month by Pluto Press and All Under One Banner have kindly asked me to talk about the 1820 rebellion this Friday evening on Zoom.
“I really hope you can join us for this discussion about 1820 and this significant event in Scottish history.
“For the first time the newly formed working class stood together and demanded the vote. They called for a general strike and they called for people to arm themselves in order to achieve this.
“They were defeated by the might of the British state but nevertheless this was an important milestone in the fight for our control of our lives in a democratic fashion.”
Armstrong also wrote The Liberty Tree, a well-received historical novel about the life and struggles of the Scottish radical lawyer Thomas Muir, who was deported to Australia in 1794 for supposed sedition.
National columnist Lesley Riddoch has reviewed Armstrong’s new book, saying: “Armstrong pulls off a masterful feat, colouring a world long gone with such vivid detail that you feel the hope, injustice and ruthless suppression of a great but unsung democratic uprising.
“Yet, even though the period is so powerfully re-imagined, there’s no loss of historical accuracy or political drive in this excellent book.”
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