Kenny Farquharson: Six tips for Scottish Labour’s new boss

DEAR Johann/Ken/Tom. Apologies for the round-robin letter, but at this stage I have no idea which of you will be crowned chieftain of Scottish Labour when the result of your leadership contest is announced next weekend (although the smart money still says you, Johann).

Nevertheless, I thought I’d be so bold as to suggest a few items for your in-tray. It’s no trouble, really. No need to thank me. Nice to be nice, and all that.

1. Find some common cause with the SNP

Might seem a curious way to start, especially given the responsibility of being leader of the opposition in a Nat-dominated Holyrood, but it’s important your party stops being oppositionist for its own sake. I don’t mean agreeing with everything Alex Salmond says (the terminally flawed anti-sectarianism laws are a case in point). But I do mean supporting the Scottish Government on reducing alcohol dependence, which is plainly laudable but technically difficult. Obviously, that doesn’t require you to support bonkers notions like drink shame lanes in Tesco’s or Kenny MacAskill’s ban on selling booze to under 21s. But still, the SNP’s goal in this area is an honourable one. It should have Labour’s support in principle and Labour’s constructive criticism of the detailed strategy, for example the not-quite-there-yet plans on minimum pricing.

2. It’s the children, stupid

Last week there was a slew of worrying new figures on Scottish schooling, from growing class sizes, to truancy, to unemployment among teachers. In scores of schools across Scotland, kids are moving from primary to secondary without the basic ability to read, write and add up. In some schools, half the children leaving Primary 7 have failed to reach the expected standard. This is, or should be, a national scandal. The consequences for when these kids are young adults is surely too obvious to have to spell out. The most interesting idea your party had at the last Holyrood election – some would say the only one – was the plan for an army of literacy workers recruited from the ranks of unemployed teachers to go into our schools and make sure children have the very basics. This, and more of the same on giving children the best possible start, should be at the forefront of any new policy push.

3. Get real

There’s been a lot of tosh spoken in this leadership campaign about not letting Alex Salmond dictate the future of Scottish Labour, and about parking the issue of the constitution and instead concentrating on reconnecting with the party’s traditional supporters on bread-and-butter issues, etc, etc. That’s no doubt well-intentioned. But it’s crazy talk. It’s like saying Michael Foot should have paid no heed to Margaret Thatcher and Thatcherism. Alex Salmond is the dominant political force of the age. The independence referendum will, when it comes, be one of the biggest news stories in the world, barring war and natural disaster. It will be a true moment of history and one of the defining global events of the year. Furthermore, Scottish Labour’s attitude towards the referendum will do more than anything else to define the party in the eyes of the Scottish public for a generation. For good or for ill, this is Scottish politics for the foreseeable future. Get used to it. It will, and should, dominate a lot of your time, energy and intellect.

4. Just because Alex Salmond wants it, doesn’t make it bad

The most intellectually bereft argument currently abroad in your party is the one that sees the constitutional question simply in terms of whether the options would or wouldn’t please the SNP leader. This is facile. It’s particularly lame when what’s being discussed is the future of the country. So, when Salmond suggests a two-issue referendum, with independence and a stronger form of devolution, rejecting that because it’s “a win-win for Salmond” is pathetic. The test is whether it’s good or bad for Scotland, and whether it meets the ambitions of the majority of Scots who are clearly looking for change. Which brings us to...

5. Get your act together on Devo Max/Devo Plus/Devo 2.0/Home Rule/Asymmetric Federalism, or whatever you want to call it

Your party has missed many opportunities in the past couple of years to come up with a strong new form of devolution to offer the Scottish people as an alternative to independence. The Calman Commission was fudged, and the Scotland Bill committee at Holyrood was not seized as an opportunity to make amends. But there is no greater priority for your party than getting it behind a new and dynamic form of devolution. This must be in place as a credible, thought-through option with no loose ends by the time Salmond declares his hand on the referendum timetable. How this is done is, I accept, is a challenge. But hey, you wanted to be leader because you had vision and leadership skills, right?

6. Think outside the devo box

If you really want to tackle the all-too-common social problems Scotland faces, then how about putting them front and centre in the debate about Scotland’s future? Alex Salmond seems to talk about independence and devo max purely in terms of fiscal levers. But then, he is an economist. When you examine what new powers should be devolved to Holyrood, how about bringing in some of the ones that could make a real difference in tackling welfare dependency or drug crime, both issues currently reserved to Westminster? The constitution and real life are not mutually exclusive.

Congratulations on the leadership victory when it comes. And the best of luck. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it.

All the best, Kenny