Machel's words act as good guide for internationalists

Curiouser still, he also talks about "Scottish progressives deserting comrades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland."

When I was one of the comrades in the north of Ireland, there was plenty of discussion favouring a united, independent, even socialist, Ireland.

At that time I was a member of British-based union Tass, which operated north and south of the Irish border.

The comrades, thin on the ground as we were, would have been chuffed to bits to see the British state leaving Ireland. But there was no talk of desertion, nor were we encouraging national enmity and discord or national exclusiveness.

Internationalists, like the Scottish left, can be guided by the words of the Mozambican Marxist and independence leader Samora Machel: the struggle continues.

I'm sure Scottish comrades will continue to work with progressives, be they in Redditch, Caracas or wherever. As for international capital? You can depend on it.

So far, it's much more adaptable to changing circumstances than us on the left.

When Lenin penned the words Stephen quoted he was urging Ukrainians to support a single Soviet republic.

I don't know if yesterday is going to come around again and this time the Sovietisation of Britain will slip in sometime before the withering away of the state. But right now, some people are already talking about socialism for the 21st century.

New ideas and news forms of struggle, comrades.

Sam Gordon

Leon, Nicaragua