Labour has to embrace federalism as the only alternative to independence

Henry McLeish - Image credit: David Anderson/Holyrood

Richard Leonard, speaking at his first annual conference, has a fresh mandate, a decisive majority and leads Scottish Labour at a time of seismic political change throughout Western Europe, as well as political upheaval as a shambolic Brexit threatens the future of Britain, Scotland and the Conservative Party.

He faces tough challenges: how to end the SNP’s 11-year domination of Scottish politics, how to halt their continuing ownership of the Scotland question and how to support remaining in the EU or, as a second best, retain membership of the single market and customs union.

Scots did vote to remain, after all.

Socialism, packaged by UK Labour under Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, and applied to Scotland, will not achieve a new Scotland or Labour success unless it is accompanied by the progressive policies and ideas needed to tackle the big unresolved Scotland questions.

The conference in Dundee was a chance for the party to look ahead and talk up a new vision of tomorrow.

But that future will not materialise if they ignore the reality of a new and modern Scotland that cannot be understood through the prism of the old Britain of the pre-devolution years.

Success for Labour, and for Scotland, means Britain must remain in the EU or, minimally, retain membership of both the single market and customs union.

The SNP government and the Scottish people support a strong pro-EU position, and Labour cannot look weak on this issue.

Scotland, with limited political and constitutional power, is still dominated by the absolute sovereignty of the Westminster Parliament.

Federalism is the only sustainable alternative to independence and offers a positive choice in a second referendum.

Finally, a long-term solution to the Scotland question is not peripheral to the future of Britain. It is linked inextricably to the politics of this new age.

A progressive agenda will only bear fruit if we change the dynamic and direction of Scottish politics.

Currently, only a quarter of Scots support Labour. Any radical policy agendas need to be accompanied by a political, constitutional and electoral strategy for Scotland based on current ‘live’ issues. 

Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to negotiate a new customs union with the EU, therefore, is to be warmly welcomed. It’s a huge step in the right direction.

But more has to be done. The closer Labour remains to the EU, the more difficult it is for the SNP to exploit the issue.

Scotland is challenged by the constitutional question. Support for independence has changed very little from the independence referendum in 2014.

Of the 78 opinion polls since, 67 have shown support for independence at over 40 per cent, with the lowest at 36 per cent and the highest, 53 per cent.

Polling done immediately after the 2014 referendum revealed that 37 per cent of Labour voters voted for independence.

Nearly three-quarters of all voters cited “disaffection with Westminster politics” as a powerful reason.

Independence and potential constitutional change remain powerful issues.

Labour has to stop hoping and praying these issues will disappear. Instead, it must be positive and embrace federalism, the only alternative to independence.

However, Jeremy Corbyn is pouring cold water on federalism, with one spokesperson suggesting federalism was an “unhelpful label’ and that there were “other priorities”.

It seems to have been shelved. This makes no sense. A post-Brexit devolution task force was set up in March 2017, but federalism wasn’t mentioned in the post-meeting statement.

Europe and federalism were ignored too in a set of new policy commissions launched by the UK party and the ‘people’s constitutional convention’ idea has slipped off the agenda.

by Mark McLaughlin

Richard Leonard: Scotland has a cooperative heritage

A volatile and unpredictable electorate is dangerous territory.

Scots want to remain in the EU. There has been little change in support for independence. The SNP has been in power for nearly 11 years and their poll ratings remain steady.

Labour in the UK, and in Scotland, must take the SNP and independence seriously.

The risk factor dominated the last referendum and was a significant reason behind the No campaign victory.

Next time, if we leave the EU, staying with Britain may carry a much greater risk.

A failure by Labour to win the next Westminster elections could also drive many Labour voters in Scotland towards, once again, supporting independence, but not the SNP.

It was never likely that voting for Brexit would change the voting intentions of Scots on the Scotland question.

The real test will come when Brexit happens and the nightmare consequences begin.

What may weigh heavily with Scots on constitutional matters, too, is the fact that in 2014 it was ‘vote one get one free’.

The terms of the deal have changed. Vote to stay in the UK next time, and you don’t get the EU.

Richard Leonard does not appear to be a fan of radical constitutional change.

However, progress and political success will be impossible to achieve without it.

The left-leaning nature of his progressive policy platform must be harnessed to Labour in Scotland becoming not only part of Labour’s success at UK level, but articulating Scotland’s voice and presenting a radical alternative to independence.

Without a Labour resurgence in Scotland, the party may struggle to form a government in Westminster.

Labour must catch the mood and ambition of what is now a very different country.