By Gary Fraser and Steve Arnott
Without wishing to sound too nationalistic, Scotland seems to be being ignored somewhat in this General Election. The ‘three-horse’ race between Labour, Tory and Liberals may reflect the political landscape of England but the minute you get past Carlisle things starts to change.
In Scotland it’s a contest not between Labour and Tory but between Labour and the SNP. That what academics call a ‘democratic deficit’ exists in Scotland is a well known fact. For 18 long years the Scots voted Labour only to have a Tory Government imposed on them from Westminster. The ‘deficit’ was evident the other week in the so-called ‘leadership’ debate. One person was noticeable by his absence, namely Alex Salmond. He should have been there. Not only does he represent the Scottish Government, more importantly he represents a left of centre consensus in Scotland which goes back to the 1950s.
The SNP won the 2007 Scottish General Election because they positioned themselves to the left of Labour. Taxation, Trident, War, PFI, on most issues the SNP attacked Labour from the left. Up until 2007 the SNP under the hopelessly ineffective John Swinney were going nowhere. Salmond’s repositioning of the party broke Labour’s stranglehold in Scotland. Things have never been the same again. The SNP have been successful in elections when they act as the voice of social democracy. In this election they are the only mainstream party talking to the left of the Labour. Salmond, a strong performer on television, would have easily outshone Brown and Cameron, and judging by the response to Nick Clegg, he would have done the mainstream parties serious damage.
Of course it’s easy for the SNP to talk left in this election for they know that’s the best way to score points against Labour. The truth of the matter is that the SNP are something of a mixed bag. They have stuck to a neo-liberal economic agenda, instructed Scottish local authorities to make significant cuts in public sector budgets.
The real left in Scotland is fragmented and sadly once again disunited, although, on a positive note, with the exception of two seats, socialists have managed to avoid standing against one another.
The Scottish Socialist Party is fielding 10 candidates in this election. The SSP is running this campaign on 5 pledges; opposition to public sector cuts which the SSP claims will cost 100,000 jobs, taking action to guarantee jobs for young people, the immediate withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and to ensure that it’s MP’s take what the SSP calls the Workers Wage if elected.
Most people in Solidarity would readily agree with the SSP pledges; in fact you would be hard pushed to find any major policy difference between the SSP and Solidarity (any readers who can win a prize). Solidarity is also standing in ten seats as part of the umbrella Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and one of the Solidarity-STUSC candidates is interviewed in this issue of the DGS.
We should wish all socialists and progressives well in this election. The 20 socialists standing are providing an opportunity for people to protest at Labour’s appalling 13 year reign in office. The message is simple. Remember Iraq, Afghanistan, tuition fees, PFI and Trident. Remember that the national minimum wage has been set at a level so low that it institutionalises low pay. Remember that under Labour the inequality gap has grown. Remember that our gas, electricity and railways are still run for profit not public need. Remember that the anti-trade union laws are still on the statute book and remember that Labour can bail out the bankers yet savagely attack the public sector. Remember all these things and vote, where you can, for a progressive candidate that is democratic, green and socialist.
However, a note of caution, the left is not expected to do well in this election. That is why we should continue to support left unity and genuine attempts at dialogue amongst the Scottish left. Our opposition to Labour, and our positive vision of a better society, will only reach a mass audience once more when we are seen again to speak with one united voice.
You do not have to start this article by stating “Without wishing to sound too nationalistic…”
The fact is that we stand for Scottish independence and the end of the British state. Some may regard that as a nationalistic position – it is no more nationalistic that supporting the british state and opposing Scottish Independence.
We should never feel the need to apologise for any of our beliefs – if some people disagree with us on account of them…tough!
Well said, lewis. As a lifelong supporter of independence and someone who always votes SNP (and usually gives their second vote to a smaller pro independence socialist party), I agree completely. Why is it ‘nationalist’ to want your own country to be sovereign, adult and run its own affairs, but ‘internationalist’ to want to remain part of the unionist british state.
never got that one myself.
Yes it’s a strangely appologetic intro but nevertheless a thoughtful and informative article. I think that national self-determination and internationalism are entirely compatible. I’m a Mancunian by birth and beyond that a Northerner. I used to think of the English as the tribes south of Birmingham or maybe the posh people in Cheshire. I too have voted SNP but mainly because of their social democratic credentials.
I think we need to acknowledge a much more local identity than that of being British or European but without losing sight of our common world identity as a species. Scottish history seems to be marked by brief spells of unity amid frequent scisms and factional deals with the larger southern neighbour. Prominent Scots have been partners with the English in the exploits of British imperialism, so to me it’s a complex picture. Is there one Scotland, highland and lowland ? We’ll have to see.