5 May elections:
Starmer’s policy of ‘constructive engagement’ with the Tories prevented Labour from making significant gains.
The most important political development and most positive one was the emergence of Sinn Féin as the largest party in the north of Ireland.
The Scottish Labour leadership contest this autumn is important for the entire Labour Party in Britain, because how the party performs in Scotland will be a significant factor in whether Labour can form the next UK government. For Labour to win it is vital Scottish Labour improves on its poor performances at the 2015 and 2017 general elections. That requires the Scottish party to change its political orientation. A new leadership is needed that will promote Jeremy Corbyn’s popular anti-austerity agenda to the Scottish electorate.
By Robin Jackson
The failure of Scottish Labour to match the spectacular General Election advance of Corbyn’s Labour in England and Wales allowed the Tories to benefit from a sharp fall in support for the SNP. The 12 new seats that the Tories won in Scotland were the margin which has allowed Theresa May to project a putative House of Commons majority in alliance with the DUP, rather than be forced to handover to Corbyn or call a new General Election. Although Scottish Labour made some small recovery over 2015, it nonetheless polled less than the Tories and the SNP, meaning Labour came third in vote share for the first time in a general election in Scotland since 1918.
By Tom O’Donnell
The question of devolution for Scotland has not been resolved by the outcome of the referendum. All three leading Westminster parties made a pledge just days before the vote, vowing fundamental reform of Scotland’s governance and a strict timetable for its implementation.
Scotland will be holding a referendum to decide its constitutional relationship to Britain in September 2014. It is now decided that the referendum will be a straight Yes/No vote on independence, and there will no option of further devolution at this stage.
Given the referendum, it is important that socialists adopt a clear position on how to vote. This article argues that Scottish independence is not currently in the interests of the working class and therefore socialists should call for a No vote in the forthcoming referendum.
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