It’s true that for a number of years you couldn’t put a fag paper between the politics of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and though we all heaved a sigh of relief when he eventually took over, he did disappoint us as PM. But Gordon has many great strengths and, just at this moment, there […]
Posts Tagged ‘Scottish Independence’
Politics before and after the referendum
Sep 8th, 2014 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Some sense impressions about the Scottish referendum and its consequences… If no wins on the 18th, it will be of the slimmest of margins and in spite of the politics of Better Together. The two debates between Salmond and Darling illustrated Better Together‘s problem perfectly. The first round went to Darling. He does technical detail […]
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“The Scottish referendum isn’t primarily about Scotland: it’s about London”
Sep 8th, 2014 by Michael Meacher.This is a shrewd observation by Prof. Danny Dorling, especially in the later stages of the referendum as Salmond repeatedly pinpoints the sheer dominance and ultra-wealth of London as a prime reason why Scots should vote for independence. It sucks the lifeblood out of the rest of the country, and so far from the rebalancing […]
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Yes or no, Labour should offer a new federal vision of Britain, north & south of the border
Sep 6th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.The only thing about the vote on Scottish independence on which we can be pretty sure is that it will be close. I’d certainly prefer a no vote although I’m no more a unionist than a nationalist. I just question the very possibility of independence for Scotland in a sterling currency zone within the European union, […]
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Seven left-wing reasons for staying together
Sep 5th, 2014 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Viewed from afar, Better Together has been a poor show. Not in terms of numbers involved out canvassing day after day. I’m on about the politics on offer. The vision thing. Yes have it. That an independent Scotland will share the monarchy, be a semi-colony of the Bank of England and fancies a corporation tax […]
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Scotland and the risks of independence to EU membership
Sep 2nd, 2014 by Andy Newman.The referendum process for possible Scottish independence reveals some of the best and worst aspects of Britain’s political culture. The potential withdrawal of Scotland from the UK would bring to an end a constitutional settlement that has endured for more than 300 years, and yet the commitment towards constitutionality has meant not only that the […]
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The SNP vision of a deregulated Scotland is reason enough to vote No
Aug 26th, 2014 by Richard Leonard.Vision is essential in politics. It illuminates the possibility that things could be different, better and inspires people to not just believe in change, but to be driven to do something about it. That’s why it will play a big part in determining the outcome of next month’s referendum on the question of a separate […]
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Behind the lure of Scottish independence lies the threat of “divide and rule”
Apr 18th, 2014 by Richard Leonard.The Scottish Trades Union Congress met this week in Dundee, where the Chartists took strike action in August 1842 and marched from Magdalen Green to Forfar for the right of working people to vote. Meeting at such a highly charged time, with the referendum on the creation of a separate Scottish state just weeks away, we should […]
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A Scotland free from Tory rule for good is the offer Labour has to beat
Apr 12th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.Watching Alex Salmond’s speech to the SNP Spring Conference, it is almost impossible to see Scottish independence as anything other than inevitable. If not this year, then at least sometime in the not too distant future. It doesn’t matter that I am an internationalist who doesn’t believe that independence can exist in any meaningful sense […]
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Scottish Labour repositions itself to the left of the SNP
Mar 24th, 2014 by Jon Lansman.Though the swirling waters of the River Tay looked freezing, the sun shone on Scottish Labour’s conference in Perth this weekend. And inside the conference hall, delegates seemed more confident than last year. Not necessarily that they will win the vote on independence – there is no complacency there – nor that they have got […]
