{"id":13676,"date":"2020-02-09T14:16:22","date_gmt":"2020-02-09T14:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/?p=13676"},"modified":"2021-02-17T14:43:23","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T14:43:23","slug":"13676","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/2020\/02\/09\/13676\/","title":{"rendered":"TWO SCOTTISH RESPONSES TO THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are posting two responses to the results of the December 12th general election, the first from activists within the Scottish Labour Party and the second form Gavin Lundy, National Convenor of Young Scots for Independence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

_______________<\/p>\n

1. Open Letter: Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy<\/strong><\/p>\n

(this was first posted at:-\u00a0 https:\/\/bellacaledonia.org.uk\/2019\/12\/15\/open-letter-scottish-labour-for-radical-democracy<\/a>)<\/p>\n

We demand radical self-determination for Scotland. The Scottish people have, in successive elections to both Holyrood and Westminster, elected majorities in favour of a new referendum on independence. Setting aside the arguments for and against independence, we must not allow a hardline Tory government \u2013 which has no mandate here \u2013 to override Scotland\u2019s democratic will.<\/p>\n

Should all attempts to secure a second referendum by legal and constitutional means be obstructed by the UK government, we support an escalating strategy of non-cooperation and civil disobedience against that government, pursued at all possible levels: from the Scottish Government legislating on, or refusing to cooperate with, matters \u2018reserved\u2019 to Westminster, to grassroots non-violent direct action within and outwith Scotland.<\/p>\n

We support a deep and radical vision of self-determination, encompassing political, economic and cultural life. In particular, we believe that in spite of defeat, the policies put forward in Labour\u2019s 2019 general election manifesto still offer a valuable starting-point for tackling the climate emergency and redistributing economic power to the working class, who produce Scotland\u2019s wealth and have the right to control it. Successive Scottish Governments have failed to use the full range of devolved powers to transform Scotland in this direction, despite their repeated insistence on Scotland\u2019s progressive consensus.<\/p>\n

We also believe, however, that the limits of devolved power must not be treated as the closed horizons of Scotland\u2019s future, and we demand that the Scottish political establishment begins to think and act \u2018as if\u2019 it has the requisite independence to radically address the overlapping crises facing working-class communities in Scotland, from the climate emergency and austerity to drug deaths, housing and the hostile environment.<\/p>\n

We refuse to abandon the people of Wales, Northern Ireland and England to Tory rule, even if Scotland chooses to pursue its own road to socialism. We believe that real self-determination can only be achieved through cooperation between movements and across borders. We call on the left across the UK to back our demand for a second referendum on independence and to fight with us to secure a radical democracy for all the peoples of these islands.<\/p>\n

Signatories:<\/p>\n

Martin Le Brech, Aberdeen Central CLP\/IWGB,\u00a0Didier Alexandre, Aberdeen Central CLP,\u00a0Scott Abel, Aberdeen South CLP,\u00a0Reuben Duffy, Airdrie & Shotts CLP\/GMB,Emma Milligan, Airdrie & Shotts CLP,\u00a0Brendan Moohan, Almond Valley CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Graeme Hyslop OBE, Ayr CLP \/EIS,\u00a0Ryan John MacKenzie, Caithness & Sutherland CLP,\u00a0Annette Thomson, Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley CLP,\u00a0George Thomson, Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley CLP,\u00a0Huw Sherrard, Clackmannanshire CLP, Social Media & Press Officer,\u00a0Avar Wilson, Clackmannanshire CLP \/IWW,\u00a0Matthew Gallagher, Clydebank & Milngavie CLP\/EIS,\u00a0Ryan Bazga, Coatbridge & Chryston CLP, Social Media Officer\/Unite,\u00a0William McCabe, Coatbridge & Chryston CLP \/Unite,\u00a0Stella Rooney, Dundee CLP, Youth Officer\/Unite, Chair of Young Members in Unite Scotland,\u00a0Owen Wright, Dundee CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Drew Livingstone, Dundee CLP\/Unison,\u00a0James Thomson, East Kilbride CLP\/PCS,\u00a0Emily Talbot, East Lothian CLP\/Unison,\u00a0Alistair Craig, Eastwood CLP,\u00a0Calum Barnes, Edinburgh Central CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Ian R Close, Edinburgh Central CLP,\u00a0Paul Cumming, Edinburgh Central CLP\/ PCS,\u00a0James Cameron, Edinburgh Eastern CLP,\u00a0Matthew Beven, Edinburgh Eastern CLP\/Unison,\u00a0Tommy Martin, Edinburgh Eastern CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Ally McIntyre, Edinburgh Eastern CLP,\u00a0Jessica Fenn, Edinburgh Eastern CLP.\u00a0Robert Dransfield, Edinburgh Eastern CLP\/Unite Community
\nAdam Knight, Edinburgh Eastern CLP,\u00a0Claire Thomson, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Patricia Johnston, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP, Youth Officer \/ Unite Community,\u00a0Paul Tait, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP\/UCU,\u00a0Oliver Goulden, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP,\u00a0Mike Cowley, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP,\u00a0Shaun Cassidy, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP,\u00a0Morgan Tooth, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Lorcan Mullen, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP\/Unison,\u00a0James McPherson, Edinburgh North & Leith CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Finn Oldfield, Edinburgh Southern CLP, Rory Scothorne, Edinburgh Southern CLP\/UCU,\u00a0Magnus Gwynne, Edinburgh Southern CLP,\u00a0Declan Prosser, Glasgow Anniesland CLP,\u00a0Alana McKenna, Glasgow Anniesland CLP,\u00a0Michael John O\u2019Neill, Glasgow Cathcart\/BECTU,\u00a0Scott Lumsden, Glasgow Provan CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Oliver Robertson, Glasgow Provan CLP \/ Unite,\u00a0Alice Bowman, Glasgow Provan CLP\/ GMB\/Unite,\u00a0Kyle Scott, Glasgow Provan CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Ryan Byrne, Glasgow Provan CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Stephen Campbell, Glasgow Provan CLP Unite,\u00a0Matt McDonald, Glasgow Southside CLP \/ Unison, IWW,\u00a0Laura Dover, Glasgow Southside CLP\/Unison,\u00a0Ewan Gibbs, Glasgow Southside CLP\/UCU,\u00a0Tam Wilson, Glasgow Southside CLP, LGBT Officer\/GMB,\u00a0Jessica Shenton, Glasgow Southside CLP\/Unison,\u00a0Thomas Baylis, Glasgow Southside CLP \/ Unison,\u00a0Mark Faulkner, Glasgow Southside CLP,\u00a0Bruce Milne, Glasgow Southside CLP\/Unison,\u00a0Giancarlo Bell, Glasgow Kelvin CLP, Vice Chair\/Unite,\u00a0Ben McKinlay, Glasgow Kelvin CLP,\u00a0Ross Clark, Glasgow Kelvin CLP,\u00a0Hollie Cameron, Glasgow Kelvin CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Ewan Kerr, Glasgow Kelvin CLP\/EIS,\u00a0David Clayton, Glasgow Kelvin CLP\/BMA,\u00a0Rob Jones, Glasgow Kelvin CLP,\u00a0Madison Plumridge, Glasgow Kelvin CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Duncan Hotchkiss, Glasgow Kelvin CLP,\u00a0Clare Patterson, Glasgow Kelvin CLP,\u00a0Paul Rolwich, Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse CLP,\u00a0Fraser Finlayson, Inverness & Nairn CLP,\u00a0Mikey Reynolds, Kilmarnock & Loudon CLP\/ PCS,\u00a0Dougie Main, Linlithgow & East Falkirk CLP,\u00a0Gwen Wall, Maryhill & Springburn CLP, Fundraising Officer\/BFAWU\/GMB.\u00a0Tessa Buddle, Maryhill & Springburn CLP\/UCUCameron Thompson, Na h-Eileanan an Iar CLP\/Unison,\u00a0George Corner, North Ayrshire CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Malcolm Petrie, North East Fife CLP\/UCU,\u00a0Angus MacDonald, Orkney CLP,\u00a0Lauren Gilmour, Paisley CLP \/EIS\/Unite,\u00a0Simran Kaur, Renfrewshire North & West CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Rosaleen Leonard, Rutherglen CLP\/Unison,\u00a0John O\u2019Neill, Perth & North Perthshire CLP\/Unite,\u00a0Tom Flanagan, Stirling CLP \/ CWU,\u00a0Cian Lloyd Ireland, Stirling CLP\/GMB\/IWW,\u00a0Matthew Ferrie, Stirling CLP\/IWW,\u00a0Daniel Deery, Stirling CLP IWW,\u00a0Callum McCormick, Strathkelvin & Bearsden CLP \/EIS\/UCU,William John McCabe, Uddingston & Bellshill CLP\/Unite,Billy Stewart, Uddingston & Bellshill CLP\/Unison<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

________________________<\/p>\n

2. This letter from Gavin Lundy, National Convenor of Young Scots for Independence, first appeared in\u00a0<\/strong>The National\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>on 27.1.20<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>(https:\/\/www.thenational.scot\/politics\/18190523.many-scottish-labour-activists-now-see-writings-wall\/<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Many Scottish Labour activists now see the writing’s on the wall\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

MORE than a month has passed since the\u00a0<\/strong>SNP<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0swept\u00a0<\/strong>Scotland<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 once again \u2013 in a UK General\u00a0<\/strong>Election<\/strong><\/a>. SNP activists like me entered that election quietly optimistic, but we ended up doing better than any of us could have hoped or expected.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the most youthful political circles, the election was characterised by an interesting phenomenon that I certainly didn\u2019t expect to see. A small but loud section of young people were drawn to campaign for\u00a0Labour<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0in urban central Scotland by the promise of Prime Minister Corbyn, a prospect that seemed ridiculous on December 1, as it does now.<\/p>\n

What made this interesting, for me, was that many who (often at the last minute) decided to join the Labour party were experienced activists, trade unionists, and surprisingly, veterans of the 2014\u00a0independence<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0referendum campaign.<\/p>\n

I shouldn\u2019t overstate the scale of this phenomenon, and it was certainly exaggerated in urban lefty circles and comically overblown on Twitter. That said, it would still be unwise for indy activists friendly to, or members of, the SNP to pretend the trend didn\u2019t exist. I believe the new activists who campaigned for Labour in Scotland did so out of impatience; they wanted an overhaul of the system now with PM Corbyn, not after independence.<\/p>\n

Yet let\u2019s be frank, Labour was decimated in England and Wales because it could not build a coalition of voters that spanned demographics and geography. There will be as many takes on why this was the case as there are members of Momentum, Blue Labour, and the Fabians. But at least the main lesson for Scottish Labour activists should be clear; the UK Labour project is at best a distraction for Scots, and at worst an instrument for the British national\u00a0Conservative<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0right to deny Scotland its right to self-determination. That means Scottish Labour now finds itself facing an existential crisis.<\/p>\n

Three camps have emerged. The first are those who are beginning to approximate a sensible position, advocating either a softening of the position towards independence or another referendum. This camp is small but with voices like Monica Lennon\u00a0MSP<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and Neil Findlay MSP, and ex-MP Ged Killen.<\/p>\n

The second camp are the hard Unionists. They voice a rhetoric matching the worst of the Tory party\u2019s national Conservative right, frank about their beliefs that Scotland shouldn\u2019t have a choice and that the Scottish\u00a0Government<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0can be happily ignored by Johnson. Bizarrely, Jess Phillips MP has been the loudest of this camp \u2013 happy to tell an entire country what its future is to be, despite it being clear that she had never given the matter one minute\u2019s thought until launching her leadership bid.<\/p>\n

Yet somehow the third camp, including Lisa Nandy, are those who have even less of a clue what they are talking about, those with no clear position at all.<\/p>\n

As it stands, Scottish Labour are laying claim to the smallest voting bloc in Scotland \u2013 left-wing Unionists who don\u2019t care an awful lot for the EU. Those of a soft No persuasion will not appreciate their view that Scotland does not deserve a choice. This is a recipe for disaster.<\/p>\n

I truly believe that in their heart of hearts, many Labour activists are starting to realise that the choice of independence or electoral oblivion will come soon. So, we must recognise that a coalition of SNP, Green, and the remaining Labour voters will deliver independence.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s up to all of us in the independence movement, in the SNP, in the\u00a0Greens<\/strong><\/a>, and in no party at all, to open our doors to those dyed-in-the-wool Labour activists who are beginning to see the writing on the wall but would never abandon their party. The independence movement remains, and will remain, bigger than the SNP.<\/p>\n

A civic movement for choice must soon begin to agitate for another referendum. At least a section of Scottish Labour must be a part of that. Their voting constituency may be small, but it is composed of a group of people who straddle the boundary between No and Yes. A group of people, therefore, who will be of importance in taking us forward. The SNP may be the independence movement\u2019s leadership, but there is plenty of room for others to join us on this journey.<\/p>\n

Gavin Lundy<\/strong>
\nNational Convener, Young Scots for\u00a0<\/strong>Independence<\/strong><\/a>
\nDirector, Generation Yes<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are posting two responses to the results of the December 12th general election, the first from activists within the Scottish Labour Party and the second form Gavin Lundy, National Convenor of Young Scots for Independence. _______________ 1. Open Letter: Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy (this was first posted at:-\u00a0 https:\/\/bellacaledonia.org.uk\/2019\/12\/15\/open-letter-scottish-labour-for-radical-democracy) We demand radical self-determination…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1852,1867,1873,1854,1878,1876,1875,1877],"tags":[8881,8871],"class_list":["post-13676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-communists-organise","category-emancipation-liberation-and-self-determination","category-against-unionism","category-the-left-crisis","category-england-against-unionism","category-ireland-against-unionism","category-scotland-against-unionism","category-wales-against-unionism","tag-author-gavin-lundy","tag-author-misc"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"views":1752,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13676"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17260,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13676\/revisions\/17260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/republicancommunist.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}