For all of the miscalculations and cock-ups of the past two-and-a-half years, the Tory party, and David Cameron in particular, are as strategically focused as ever on winning power and holding on to it. Few will be surprised to learn, then, that Cameron is still determined to force through parliamentary boundary changes next year that [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Scotland’
Boundary changes for devo max: the Tory-SNP deal that may reshape the UK
Nov 28th, 2012 by Mark Seddon.
Glasgow scapegoated for Labour’s failure in Scotland
Sep 20th, 2012 by Jim MacKechnie.As Autumn 2011 saw Scotland preparing for this year’s local authority elections, party officials masterminded a massive cull of Glasgow City’s Labour councillors. Fifteen out of forty-seven sitting councillors were rejected for the panel of candidates. Another three were denied an interview as they had previously been placed under suspension – one for almost two [...]
Sign of Labour recovery in Scotland
Mar 8th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.A poll for yesterday’s Scottish Times shows encouraging signs of a Labour recovery in Scotland. Although the Times (and other Scottish news media) lead on the poll’s findings in respect of independence and devolution (anti-independence, pro-devo-max which was also the most popular in a 3-way choice), the poll’s findings on Westminster voting intentions are rather [...]
Where the real division lies
Feb 16th, 2012 by Richard Leonard.Politics is a choice between left and right – tackling inequality, injustice and poverty and a redistribution of power on the one hand or relying on trickle-down and the free market on the other. And the goals of the wider movement of which my own union GMB is proudly part have always been international. We are [...]
Six things Labour should not say about Scottish independence
Jan 18th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.We’ve already argued that Unionism will not win back Scottish Labour voters. That unfortunately has not dissuaded Labour’s front bench in Westminster. It’s time then for specifics. It’s not just about the future of the Union. It is also about whether the SNP repeat their trouncing of Labour in local and Westminster elections. YouGov yesterday showed [...]
The animated debate on Scottish independence
Jan 17th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.Scottish independence, as seen from Taiwan. Marvelous. Watch out for the reference to the 700th anniversary of Mel Gibson’s death, and the Irn-bru powered starship. Hat-tip Bella Caledonia. Bookmarks Hide Sites
Unionism will not win back Scottish Labour voters
Jan 11th, 2012 by Jon Lansman.In the battle between Scotland and Westminster independence, win or lose, Alex Salmond speaks for Scotland. And speaking for Scotland is what has brought the SNP core Labour voters by the coachload in every Labour seat. Labour is out of power both sides of the border so the one thing of which we can be [...]
Scottish independence: which partner gets the record collection?
Jan 11th, 2012 by David Osler.Not many books make such an impression that you can still remember the broad outline of their arguments three decades after reading them. But the second edition of Tom Nairn’s ‘The Break Up of Britain’, published in 1982, was very much the work that has shaped my thinking on nationalism with the British Isles ever [...]
Left victory in Labour’s Scottish Leadership election
Dec 17th, 2011 by Jon Lansman.Johann Lamont, the Centre-Left candidate, has won the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party on the first ballot. Anas Sarwar, a vice-chair of Labour’s right-wing party-within-a-party Progress who only replaced his father as the MP for Glasgow Central last year, has been elected deputy-leader. Bookmarks Hide Sites
The change we need to win in Scotland
Nov 29th, 2011 by Johann Lamont.Labour needs to change in order to become a party which is fit to serve Scotland. May’s election result was a stark warning from the people of Scotland: lose touch with your values and vision, and you will lose our votes. Scottish Labour needs to rebuild from the ground up – but navel gazing and [...]
