Flure Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 A "real" Labour Party? "Yesterday’s Sunday Herald reported that the Camelon Labour Club in my constituency of Falkirk has applied to trademark: “The Scottish Labour Party”. The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is still considering the application, which was submitted in December. It’s an imaginative move. Dennis Goldie and May McIntyre (my office manager and long-time colleague), highly-respected Labour figures of huge loyalty over many years, have perfectly decent intent. They can see there may come a time quite soon when Labour in Scotland will need to be a separate party altogether rather than simply a brand of The (UK) Labour party. If that does happen and if their application were successful, they’d gift the name to Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy. I’ve had no role in Dennis and May’s move, of course. But as I see it there are two possible eventualities now for Labour in Scotland. First, if Jim Murphy hangs onto a couple of dozen MPs then he might decide that although he’s secured a fair rump in the circumstances, any future progress for Labour in future would require a proper party in Scotland. This would still argue the unionist case, but it wouldn’t be run from London. Second, though, if the SNP secures over 40 seats and labour well under 20, then the unionist game is probably a bogey. The only way to get traction for a coherent Labour vision for Scotland, whatever that might be, may be to accept the inevitability of independence and actively campaign for it. In that circumstance, it’s conceivable that the ‘Labour’ brand could, in the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary Elections, win back a chunk of the vote lost to an SNP which includes people from the centre-right. With support from Scottish Labour, it’s likely there’d be an early referendum – the dam would have burst altogether. The trouble for Jim Murphy with such a radical option, of course, is that the present gravity of Scottish Labour lies way to the left of him. He may be killed off, followed quite possibly by the Labour brand as I doubt Labour can outflank the SNP on the left. In this way, the general election could well represent a breaking point, where people of all political persuasions in Scotland accept the independence narrative. The SNP would continue to dominate, of course, but the others might preserve some semblance of multi-party state – to live to fight another independent day. One thing is for sure – as Dennis and May, and plenty others, make clear – none of this is in the hands of London any longer. Indeed, as councillors and activists start to fight for their political lives, it might not even be in the hands of leaders of the unionist parties in Scotland." http://ericjoyce.co.uk/2015/03/a-real-scottish-labour-party/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maq Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Interesting times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotlad Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 There was a good Kevin McKenna article in the Guardian on Saturday where he argued that Labour's apparently dwindling support in Scotland wasn't necessarily because they had 'teamed up with the Tories' (as our First Minister is wont to describe it) but because they had failed to paint a convincing picture of a modern, socially democratic United Kingdom. I think if Labour had campaigned for independence - or even if they had remained officially neutral duing the referendum - then Yes would have won. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Of Paisley Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 This election could be a watershed for the Labour movement in Scotland. If it is routed (as I think it will) then there must be enough grassroots members out there who have had enough of the Millbank Tower control freaks, and grab the local branch office by the scruff of the neck and disassociated themselves from the British Labour Party. They must get shot of the careerists such as Murphy, Dugdale et al and ditch right wing ####wits like McTernan as chief of staff. As much as I enjoy it right now and will no doubt do some grave dancing come May 8, Scotland can't really afford to have one party dominating the political spectrum. We must have an alternative out there that is credible and willing to go back to the values that were forged by the likes of Maxton and Keir Hardie. That does not mean I would bring myself to vote for that lot (my colours were nailed to the Salmond mast a long time ago), but if there was a rump of Labour MSP's out there that will help put the good of the country before their own interests then they might be worth listening to. However, under the present dickwad of a leader and listening to the inane ramblings of David Hamilton and his ilk that scenario is a long, long way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest flumax Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 They'll also need to be registered with the election commission to be a separate "party". Therefore no more financial help from London hq. They would have to renegotiate they're union funding (can't see UK labour accepting a 10% cut or the unions fiddling about to slice off a proportion for "Scottish Labour"). I think they're on the road for a hiding from the electoral Commission if they do this. Otherwise it's just a badge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDange Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I think if Labour had campaigned for independence - or even if they had remained officially neutral duing the referendum - then Yes would have won. Without a doubt. This is the only way to save Labour in Scotland - whatever moniker they go under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolhibby Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 This election could be a watershed for the Labour movement in Scotland. If it is routed (as I think it will) then there must be enough grassroots members out there who have had enough of the Millbank Tower control freaks, and grab the local branch office by the scruff of the neck and disassociated themselves from the British Labour Party. They must get shot of the careerists such as Murphy, Dugdale et al and ditch right wing ####wits like McTernan as chief of staff. As much as I enjoy it right now and will no doubt do some grave dancing come May 8, Scotland can't really afford to have one party dominating the political spectrum. We must have an alternative out there that is credible and willing to go back to the values that were forged by the likes of Maxton and Keir Hardie. That does not mean I would bring myself to vote for that lot (my colours were nailed to the Salmond mast a long time ago), but if there was a rump of Labour MSP's out there that will help put the good of the country before their own interests then they might be worth listening to. However, under the present dickwad of a leader and listening to the inane ramblings of David Hamilton and his ilk that scenario is a long, long way off. I always thought the parties would realign themselves after independence. It appears that they will have to do it sooner. Labour is dead in Scotland unless it can be free of its Blairite shackles. Bizarrely I think the Scottish Tories could flourish if they moved away from Thatcherism and back to conservatism. They won't though. But Labour may be forced to do somthing. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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