The political establishment have portrayed 2012 as somewhat of a turning point for Northern Ireland, with society moving beyond the old sectarian divisions – we have been told this is ‘our time, our place’. As if to mock the chic advertising campaigns, the dispute around the flying of the union flag at Belfast City Hall has demonstrated that this is a myth.

The Socialist Party initiated the United Left Alliance along with the Workers and Unemployed Action Group (WUAG) and the People Before Profit Alliance (PBPA), just over two years ago. In recent months the problem of the ULA’s slow progress has been added to by important political mistakes and the withdrawal of WUAG. Now, as things stand, the Socialist Party has major differences with the position adopted by others in the United Left Alliance on a number of important political issues, and on the operation of the ULA itself. This article will outline some of the issues.

December's budget will see an unleashing of new assaults on public services and living conditions for working class people, writes Paul Murphy MEP. The government and the Labour Party in particular, will declare that unfortunately, there was no other choice. This is a lie.

The government would like everyone to believe the household tax registration figures are coming along nicely, that the boycott is irrelevant now, citing registration figures of 1.1 million out of 1.6 million (almost 70%) having registered. The reality is far from that. Here we outline the real figures.

Protests to be held at Irish Embassies across the world and at the Dail on Wednesday 21 November. Letter of protest signed by MEPs to be sent to Taoiseach.

From 1480 to 1750 the masses of many countries where whipped up into a frenzy, the powers that be used fear, intimidation and propaganda to conjure up mass hysteria and hatred for so called “unclean spirits”.  I am of course referring to “witch hunts”.

John Maguire was the Unite the Union Convenor at the Visteon plant in Belfast before it closed in 2009. He played a leading role in the occupation of the plant which secured better redundancy packages for the workers. He has now written a play about the occupation which is due to premiere in Belfast in November. Here, John speaks to socialistparty.net about his upcoming play.

A new interim report, entitled 'Towards a Genuine Economic and Monetary Union' was circulated by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. This will be discussed at this week's European Council meeting. Here, the true vision of a fiscal and political union of the European establishments is made clear. It is a vision long on austerity and extremely short on democracy.

The Socialist Party stands against the establishment and media consensus that singles out public sector workers pay and conditions and public sector workers themselves as targets for vilification and continuous attack.

Recently engaged in a round of backslapping, the leaders of Europe suggested that we were turning the corner out of the crisis. In Ireland despite all the evidence to the contrary, the government is still trying to talk up the prospect of a ‘deal’ on the bank debt. But on the ground, the crisis is worsening, austerity is destroying people’s lives and the economies of Europe. In the first of two articles on the future of the EU, first published on Irish Left Review, Paul Murphy MEP examines the immediate prospects for the eurozone crisis in the next months.