Pat Kane: Labour for Independence isn’t a mad idea

Published on Thursday 9 February 2012 01:01

Economic equity and social justice don’t exclude the context of an independent Scotland, writes Pat Kane

THE scene is the aftershow of a riotously joyful Celtic Connections gig. I have just met one of my oldest friends in the Scottish music scene – a great facilitator of the business of rock in this country for over 30 years. A smart, sophisticated man. We fall to talking about politics.

I’m surprised to find out that he describes himself as “virulently Labour”. He explains: “I’m of that generation: hate narrow nationalism; closer to a worker in Liverpool than a laird in Ullapool. You cut me, I bleed Labour.” You’re a bit in trouble then in the old homeland, aren’t you? “You could say that,” he murmured, gripping his German beer.

For those of us who would describe ourselves as “Scottish Left”, and who see independence as the most immediate lever to realise our values and visions, it’s chastening to hear just how subcutaneous some political identities are. I sent my friend scurrying off with the challenge: “Come on now! You should be starting Labour for Independence!” Out of the mouths of party-animals …

Yet even as a piece of social-science fiction, it’s an interesting concept. Under what conditions – say, the next 24 months leading up to the most important political event in 300 years for Scotland – could a “Labour for Independence” exist? One basic argument for the existence of such a group is the need for strategic thinking about the party’s survival in the event of a majority for independence.

If the current Scottish Labour leadership’s claim is sincerely held – that is, willing to serve Scotland, no matter the constitutional arrangement – then it seems somewhat reckless for the Scottish Labour movement not to develop some sense of its platform in a future independent country.

Many on the Scottish Left have given the SNP our crucial votes over the years, regarding the party as the main instrument towards achieving full sovereignty. But post the Great Day, would we necessarily wish to find ourselves with a “National Party of Scotland”, to quote Alex Salmond immediately after the May 2011 victory: a party fully vindicated in its mission, and awaiting a electoral mandate which might even extend (according to some recent polls) its current command of the Scottish polity?

I don’t question the talents, commitment and values of the SNP Cabinet, MSPs and wider membership. But one-party dominance would not be healthy for a newly independent country, which would need all available minds and talents on hand to steer us through the rapids of realpolitik, geopolitics and globalisation. Would Scottish Labour – or at least some significant chunk of it – really want to be on the sidelines at this vital moment?

Despite the fury this would cause in the current leadership, would it not be prudent for some groupuscules in the People’s Party to start brewing up some wisdom, strategy and research around their post-independence existence?

Of course, in an earlier, less acute stage of the “process-not-event” of Scottish self-determination, we have seen innovation of this kind from the Labour Party in Scotland. Jim Sillars famously broke off from being a hammer of the Nats to found the Scottish Labour Party, and thence to the SNP itself. From the 1980s, the ginger-group Scottish Labour Action once contained both Wendy Alexander and Jack McConnell in its ranks. SLA produced confident pamphlets about Labour’s “home rule” traditions which envisaged much more “fiscal autonomy” than anything proposed by the party at present. We should not forget the mavericks of old, like John McAllion, Dennis Canavan and (perhaps) Malcolm Chisholm, dormant volcanoes of “independent-mindedness” in Scottish Labour. And of course, all of this backed up by the heritage of Keir Hardie and his “home rule” case for the Labour Party in Scotland.

Is Scottish Labour capable of the same kind of innovation? Certainly, if the leadership line holds against constructing an answer to the SNP’s “devo-max” proposition, Labour for Independence might become a necessity for some.

UK Labour let the musculature of federalism go to waste in its 14-year Westminster dominance. It spurned the chance to cement a “progressive majority”, through a steady argument for PR with Lib-Dems as allies. . Does every member, and every MSP, in Scottish Labour really want to be lining up alongside the serried horrors of Westminster, associating themselves with an acid rain of negativity, fear stories and condescension? Or might at least some of them want to argue a Labour case for independence which allows them to speak as the social-democrats, or democratic-socialists, they are in their hearts? I’m on the steering group of the Jimmy Reid Foundation precisely because it creates a space on the Left in Scotland for economic equity and social justice that includes – or at least doesn’t exclude – the context of independence.

Back at the rock’n’roll gig… I left my “cut-me-I-bleed-Labour” friend with a hug across his shoulders. We’ve worked together in this country for nearly a quarter of a century, and we’re certainly not going to let the difference between left-independendista and democratic-socialist sully that in the slightest. “But promise me”, he pleaded at the last, “the SNP will disband as soon as they get independence, won’t they?” I doubt that very much, I answered. But for the health of the country, I hope that some in Scottish Labour are thinking about how they’ll cope, and maybe even thrive, in the early days of a fully sovereign nation.

• Pat Kane is a musician and writer. His blog on Scottish ideas is Thoughtland (www.thoughtland.info).

Comments

There are 35 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 3

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next >
• Show all

35

weegy

Monday, February 13, 2012 at 03:48 AM

Is it not better to leave Labour party to their own devices and not offer suggestions and advice. Since the invention of New labour this party ceased to represent working people in Liverpool or Ullapool anyway. Its demise is entirely of its own making and if it collapses or dwindles out of existence in Scotland then so be it! No great loss. Those who have leanings towards social equality and a progressive society may well form some new party without the words "left" or "labour" in its name as these labels, tainted by media, have become meaningless anyway!

• Report Unsuitable

34

Independence for England

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 07:56 PM

#14 "the real problem in the UK is the voting power in the south of England which leaves Scotland, Wales and the North East of England an electoral minority". To paraphrase your words: 'you miss the point. You conveniently ignore the fact that people in the NE of England and the SE of England share the same health system, education system..'. You want regional devolution for England. Why do you not also support scrapping the Scottish Parliament and regional devolution for Scotland?

• Report Unsuitable

33

spacecadetrik

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:26 AM

@30 Whatever way you view it these individuals are treacherous and vindictive due to their deselection. They care not for the SNP, their constituents or anyone but themselves. They are opportunists who are chucking their toys out of the pram because someone dared say no to them. As much as I disagree with your party, I wouldn't wish them on you either. They should crawl back from whence they came and hang their heads in shame.

• Report Unsuitable

32

Harry Palmer

Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:06 AM

Footdee Labour are not British Nationalists. The British Nationalists are disgusting racists. Funny SNP and BNP are so similar in terms of Name. Is it like Labour and Scottish Labour? British National Party - Scottish National Party! Food for thought.

• Report Unsuitable

31

footdee

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:10 PM

This friend of Pats must be a little slow-------------------Why stop at liverpool for working class solidarity ,why not Spain or Asia-----the truth is that labour are British nationalists and need Scotland to boost the chances of power.

• Report Unsuitable

30

footdee

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:07 PM

Labour`s meltdown continues unabated----------------------Glasgow Council’s ruling Labour group is in meltdown tonight after resignations and defections left the City’s budget on a knife edge with ruling Labour group leader Gordon Matheson fighting for his political career. The resignation of three more councillors within the past 24 hours threatened to bring the ruling Labour group down, and it was only an eleventh hour plea from Mr Matheson that saw the party’s £2 billion budget plans scrape through by 40 votes to 38. ---------------------------------- According to media reports a relieved Mr Matheson issued a defiant “bring it on” message, in reference to May’s local authority elections. However opposition groups have now called upon the beleaguered leader, who replaced disgraced former council leader Stephen Purcell, to step down. The dramatic day began with another Labour councillor announcing his resignation from the party. Labour’s Tommy Morrison became the third party member to resign in 24 hours. Announcing his resignation from the party Mr Morrison told STV news that Glasgow Labour was in its "death throes". Mr Morrison said that he would be attending the crucial budget meeting, and added:------------------------ "I'm going to be going into the meeting as a member of the Labour Party but I won't be coming out as one. And eight other people will be the same. From 2pm I will not be a member of the Labour Party."

• Report Unsuitable

29

footdee

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:07 PM

The laird in ullapool has more in common with the laird in Surrey in keeping the union --------------Why stop at liverpool for working class solidarity why not spain or asia-------the truth is that labour are british nationalists and want Scotland to boost their chances of power------

• Report Unsuitable

28

Taigh na Croiche

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:56 PM

Good article. Labour would not argue that Ireland or Canada should be ruled from London anymore, so why Scotland? And, if I care for the oppressed of Liverpool or Paris or Washington, should I also wish for them to rule my nation? --- Labour should embrace independence too. Independence is not a vote for Salmond. He's just a vehicle.

• Report Unsuitable

27

and I'm not making this up

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:22 PM

Stop kidding yourself Pat there is only one Labour party and that is the British Labour party - and that is the problem. You break one part you break all.

• Report Unsuitable

26

Paulista

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:31 PM

“I’m of that generation: hate narrow nationalism; closer to a worker in Liverpool than a laird in Ullapool. You cut me, I bleed Labour.” Are there really people around who say things like this? As for the "laird" in Ullapool, that would be Billy Connolly he is talking about. Unless this actually was Billy Connolly talking!

• Report Unsuitable

25

quertycat

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:26 PM

Replying to: "Bellthecat Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:15 PM Am very pleased to see this article. Glad to know I am not alone in being ideologically Labour left and unable to support the SNP but deeply uncomfortable with the current absolutist unionist policy of Scottish labour. Would be happy to join a labour for independence movement if one were set up" You are surely not alone in that. Set one up then! OR, sensibly, vote for an independent Scotland and THEN you can more comfortably vote for (a probably improved version, at least better than the current mess) Labour or whatever else.

• Report Unsuitable

24

marquis1

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:32 PM

I completely agree with "Labour for Independence". It would be a most positive, progressive and welcomed move. Will it happen? Its what the grassroots labour voters in Scotland want but ...

• Report Unsuitable

23

allymax

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:29 PM

Some good points here, but let’s get to the crass personality-crash egos. In first place, is Pat Kane himself, with his…. “can I say that this is an excellent …edit …I originally delivered to the Scotsman - which is fully available on my Boakland blog http:www.Boakland.info201202labour-for-the-loony-left.html. I would also direct you to the superb response to ...[my], piece from the …editor of the Eengleesh Left Review… BOAK.! ……. Jim takes 2nd place; dear-dear Jim, naebudy telt ye how great ye are recently? Ok, enough of the avalanche of fun. -----Brond makes a good point suggesting Labour have no redeeming assets what-so-ever, they have functionally sold all their political ideals on politics, constitution, and worth as a political party for personal gain. Political party’s are not for personal gain, they are supposed to represent the people! To align what Brond has said, christelijk_recht (on another thread), made an excellent comment saying Westminster have ‘refitted the UK as a corporatist commodity for the City of London use.’ , yes, a very ‘fitting’ appenditure Labour is for 21st century politics. Florian albert, and Jim Wilkie both correctly suggest Labour in Scotland has no social attributes what-so-ever; they have traded any semblance of social democracy they had for a footstool at the Westminster trough. Labour swing to the Left because they think it’s ‘decadently fashionable’; fancy that! Labour swing to the Right because,……well,.. the Tories are doing it; typical Labour, nae policies o’ ther ane. Scottish Labour, has no political ideology, has no policies, and has no future; Labour in Scotland must fold-up and completely disappear. There’s no place in Scotland’s 21st century politics for a Labour trougher-party with nothing but personal gain as pre-emptive policy, and with deceit, deception, and denial as their main political ideals. Even worse is the Mafia-style ideology to crime from their party members. And there’s no reason to think Labour will change their spots after independence neither; did Tammanay Hall change its spots? Did the Mafia change its spots? Has Westminster, (of whom Labour are now aping), changed their spots? The answers to all these questions is NO ! Labour will not change their spots; same people, with the same ideals, with the same crooked political bente. What’s the use of vying for, and emotionally begging for a corrupt political entity that only infests the realm of Scotland with evil doings? Pat’s symptomatic intimacy with Labour is a sorry scenario; much worse and debilitating than his self-righteous grasp on his pseudo-brilliance. This is what happens when the ‘Left’ inverts on itself; they close-caption and talk to themselves; silo’d like New-snot, but just like Bella-ra-Fella, integrating industrial verbosum of how great we are, while clapping each other on the back. No contesting nor debating voice allowed. I’m sure they’ve even got a song to go with it; I think the colour red, and the word fancy is in there somewhere. They ban horses don’t they? NO, no place for crooked Labour’s political bente in Scotland; their whole raison-d’etre has been to stifle and quell debate, rather than afford it. Scotland won’t need Labour when it is independent; Scotland is trying to clean up its politics, so it can clean up its society. For the sake of Scotland’s poor and disenfranchised masses, and the impoverished and embedded of Scotland’s ill-society, we must never, NEVER, allow Labour any power in Scotland again, whatever the political hue and cry they take. Said so, allymax.

• Report Unsuitable

22

NorthernMonkeys

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 04:20 PM

Comment removed by moderator

21

Tiny

Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:59 PM

Sorry to burst the bubble dr Wilkie but you are not as unique as you clearly think you are,there are a good number of others who can claim at least the same experience if not more.

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 3

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next >
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.