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As Alistair Darling and Johann Lamont come together In Manchester to gloat and dwell in unpleasant self-congratulation, how are things going for Labour across the land?  Former leader Henry McLeish says Scottish Labour “are in danger of dying out”, while below Tommy Sheppard, former assistant general secretary of the Scottish Labour Party, explained why he’s joining the SNP.

Maybe things are going better at a ‘UK’ level? How was Ed Miliband’s speech received by his supporters?

John Rentoul of the Independent has written:

I thought it was lamentable, weak, cliched, embarrassing, uninspiring, stylistically inept, vacuous, unambitious, grandiose, cringeworthy, patronising, foolish, an unappetising blend of impossibilism and incrementalism, and a complete final disaster for the Labour Party.”

Not good then.

How about Ed Balls?

He announced the party will introduce limits on overall “structural” welfare spending, and keep the Tory’s £26,000 benefits cap.

He promised to keep the coalition cuts to child benefit, plans which have already been harshly criticised by the Children’s Society, who said the continued child benefit squeeze would leave the average family more than £400 per year worse off by 2017.

The Child Poverty Action Group said it was a “bitter disappointment”.

What happened to all that pooling and sharing?

What happened to the “sharing union”?

It’s quickly been replaced with a sort of austerity poker.

When he was chancellor Gordon Brown used to talk about “prudence for a purpose”. Balls has come out with “fiscal responsibility in the national interest”.

It’s more words in  a hall.

It’s business as usual for these people. The CBI’s director general, John Cridland said simply: “There were no surprises and no surprises is good.”

There’s amazing energy and ideas in the air even in the aftermath of our defeat. But watching this play out we need to remember what has been lost: a once in a lifetime opportunity to disarm, a golden opportunity to resist the promised austerity measures, a unique opportunity to have access to our natural resources.

The dreary predictable soulless utterances from Labour are a harsh reminder of the power we gave away. Bombs not Bairns. Fear not Hope.

There is an institutional violence being played out against Scotland now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments (46)

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  1. Iain says:

    Bombs not Bairns!? Madness gone mad. We can’t defend against our country’s enemies with bairns! Bairns, No Thanks. Better Together. UKOK

    1. Jamie says:

      Which enemies are they, Iain?

      1. nevermore says:

        Which enemies? Why, labour and tories and ukip. Oops. Forgot the libdems. Not to worry, everybody else will come the election.

    2. iain, with the national service bill at its third and last reading in the house of commons it WILL be our bairns defending our country against the constructed enemies created by the US and we will have to look our kids in the eye and say im sorry i cant help you as they are taken against their will to keep UKOK
      with the deepest lack of respect, fuck off

      1. Valerie says:

        Well said. I have been watching the Conference through gritted teeth, they make me sick, and determined to do what I can to shine light on their boldness. East Kilbride news of Labour Councillor tweeting that Yes people are rats, and considering with EDL.

      2. john henry says:

        Labour are trying to distance themselves from the pro union mob marauding through george square friday, “they’re no wit us” they say, well they were carrying your banners, they hate foreigners just like you, you rewarded them for ther loyalty by letting them march thru glasgow wit ther ridiculous attire and shitey wee whistles. nulabour and the orange order, BestFriendsForever, the two of them are Better Together, jus wish theyd get right to fuck n leave the rest of us alone to get on with it. #45%mabaws!

      3. found out the bill didnt pass, but this doesnt change the fact that it is our bairns not our bombs that fight enemies, of which i hope there would be none in an indy scotland

    3. mary vasey says:

      What antidiluvian drivel Ian, the only enemies we have are because WM took us into an illegal war. Which is on going and will continue until we STOP bombing innocent people. Anyways we cannot even use the horrid weapons as the US don’t trust us with the code ha, ha- the US also want us to get rid of them.
      I say ban the bombs and feed our kids AYE

    4. Wulbert says:

      Iain. Wake up son. Scottish bairns have been used many, many times to defend “Queen & Country” against the Establishments latest enemy du jour. Usually at a ration of 2:1 by population.

    5. Alister says:

      Will it be your bairns on the front line?
      Will you be putting on your tin hat Iain?
      I think not.

    6. Bibbit says:

      Iain, get right to fuck then come back, do a little dance, then get right to fuck again and take the orange order & NF to Iraq with you, to fight ‘your country’s enemies’. How ‘your skint country’ can afford to bomb any poor bastards, is a mystery, but let’s just not mention the £2.3 trillion national debt elephant in the room. Purrrrrrrr.

  2. M J Grant says:

    You are Nigel Farage and I claim my £5.

  3. MeldyMan says:

    “We can’t defend against our country’s enemies with bairns” – you can’t defend against them with nuclear arms either you idiot. As described by General Colin powell “completely useless” , and no it is not out of context. He was describing their role in the modern world we live in.

  4. Rob Roy says:

    Poor Iain must be a red tory troll. Bless.

  5. Of course we can. Just douse them in petroleum before you air drop them on enemy positions.

  6. John Page says:

    I hope we all crystallise this anger and loathing when we get out on the streets in the months in the run up to May 2015 to exhort people to wreak revenge on Scottish Labour
    We need simple leaflets showing Labour’s lies and the salary, outside interests, expenses and London house details for each of the representatives of the Peoples Party

  7. mary vasey says:

    Well said Mike, thanks. I agree with you. AYE

  8. Justin Fayre says:

    From Allan Grogan,

    From Allan Grogan
    Throughout my campaigning life which began at 8 years old leafleting for Labour unsuccessfully against Major’s Tory Government, through to the last 2 and a half years as Co-Convenor of Labour for Independence I have written many political posts. This is unquestionably the toughest statement that I have had to write. I have often told this story of how I was brought up in a Labour family. My great grandfather was a strong working class Labour member in Dundee. My grandmother would tell me about the real Labour Party we had after the war. One who protected the workers, created the welfare state and the NHS. Looked after the sick, the old and the poor. Both my parents campaigned for the Labour Party, up until recently my mother still did. If red wasn’t the colour of blood I would have bled it anyway. I began Labour for Independence because of the refusal of the party to give it’s membership the vote on where we stood regarding independence. In truth it was much more than that. Labour had long lost it’s way. It took me a while to realise, perhaps clinging to blind hope more than anything, hoping we could return to the days my grandmother talked about. This campaign convinced me that we had a real opportunity to see a return to a real Labour Party in Scotland. Even after the polls had closed I spoke to a great many comrades at the count who yearn for change, even those voting no are aware of it. Yet the truth is the no vote will be seen as an endorsement of the Scottish Labour Leadership and how they defer to their masters at Westminster promoting right wing policies which have no place in the party of Bevan, Smith, Maxton and Hardie. I’m sure many of you will have been aware of the constant slurs and abuse Labour for Independence have endured by our own party members. Yet this is not what has led me to this statement. It has been the constant that Labour has refused to acknowledge their roots or the very reason for their creation. In this campaign we have had Labour leaders call us a ‘something for nothing society’ that we are not ‘genetically programmed to make our own decisions.’ We have seen our so called comrades high five Tories at counts. Some, like Jim Murphy hugging Tories in Clydebank of all places. Already we are seeing a backtrack on more powers and now a real terms cut in child benefit. But for me personally the final straw was seeing our Scottish leader Johann Lamont outside Asdas smiling for a picture because they had announced to raise prices in an independent Scotland. What a vile act for someone claiming to be Labour, let alone the leader of the party. Regardless of her voting preference the fact she should take enjoyment out of rising prices that will effect the poorest and the working class the hardest is unconscionable. It has taken me close to a week of soul searching, but I have come to the conclusion that it is no longer possible to save the soul of the Labour Party. The great history and names within the party will live on, but they will live on with those who hold true their ideals and beliefs. Not by having a red membership card. Therefore it is with deep regret that I resign my membership of the British Labour Party. They no longer represent me or the million or so Labour supporters in Scotland, nor a great many in other parts of the UK. They no longer represent their own history. In light of my resignation I will also be stepping down as Co-Convenor of Labour for Independence and my place on the Executive Committee. I will accept a place at the future planning meeting on October 4th as a delegate of Angus. Where I will look forward to hearing real Labour comrades put forward what if any future Labour for Independence may have. I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout my time within the party and as Co-Convenor of LFI. I look forward to what the future brings.
    Allan Grogan

    1. Crubag says:

      At the risk of historical pedantry I would point out that it was also this Labour party that put in motion the creation of the UK nuclear deterrent (finalised under Atlee’s successor, Churchill).

    2. tammcgarvey says:

      Great to see more and more people refusing to sell their soul. Political leaders take note. Well done Allan.

  9. Wullie says:

    Well said Allan, Lamont is a disgrace and she knows it, she’ll be joining Anabell Goldie in the Lords ere long.

  10. tammcgarvey says:

    Well said Mike, and well done Tommy for making the move.

    When Johann Lamont mentioned that we Scots were “not genetically programmed to make political decisions” maybe she was right – if the criteria is of that set by the likes of David Cameron and Ed Miliband. Maybe we are not genetically programmed to operate in that world – good! Lets start a new one.
    However, Westminster is full of Scots, so is she saying Gordon Brown, John Ried, herself and many others Scottish MP’s are genetically inept compared to their “imperial masters”?(well done rickshaw man).

    Tha last week has shown us that the Camerons, Milibands and Lamonts of this world are hopefully becoming extinct as political energy in Scotland evolves from ground level.
    Westminster is increasingly resembling Jurassic Park, full of predatory dinosaurs, eating each other just before the big comet of new global consciousness wipes them out. The people of Scotland, and crucially the young, grabbed the nettle and rapidly built a people led vision and an initiative to build a society based on a higher set of values than Westminster’s quick buck, no responsibility, I’m alright jack policies for the top one percent.

    Westminster- your a busted flush! now stop tugging your forelocks to finacial and corporate pond life and start serving the people who voted you into your priveleged positions!
    The referendum result has demonstrated the lengths they will go to in order to keep their grip on power on behalf of banking and corporate elites of the type that attend sinister and secret Bilderberg gatherings.

    Despite the present horrors we witness in various parts of the world lets hope we are evolving away from this present madness which is driven in the service money and not life. Another better world is possible. There are other ways of doing things. What other species goes about plotting its own ultimate destruction by its actions? In nature life always trumps death or there would be nothing.
    Our wee ancient nation made a proud stand last week and fair play to both sides for embracing the debate, and we have set many positive things in motion. We demonstrated that we are just about ready to move to the next level if we continue believe in ourselves. The forces of life and renewal must replace those of destruction, degradation and decay. Our societal and cultural evolution has been stunted by predatory greed. Evolution by definition is a slow process,however, change is inevitable.

  11. Andy Anderson says:

    So why do you say its been lost? The real fight has just begun I will be making a complaint to the Electoral Management Board on behalf of the Democratic Socialist Federation to demonstrate that the ballot was rigged which I thinks we can show, but quiite apart from that there is clear evidence that people in Scotland have become involved in the political process to a greater extent than ever before. That is not a loss to the movement; on the contrary it is a huge gain.While the Scottish people are involved and motivated they will determine the outcome.

    1. john henry says:

      Exactly!!! Its so obviously rigged I cant believe people are talking about 2015!!!! If we dont contest the result wed have bn aswell voting no in the 1st place.

  12. bruce says:

    To Allan (via Justin). You have made a very brave decision and I hope that in a future independent Scotland there will be a leftist party that is truly representative of the values you hold. In the meantime lets all put our shoulder to the wheel ,to make sure that the hollowed out Labour party gets what it deserves.

  13. Wulbert says:

    Reading the biography of John McLean at the moment, I noticed that the Labour Party has its roots in the “Fabian Society”. One of it’s aims was the “relief” of poverty, but explicitly, no analysis, questioning or attack on the root causes of poverty. Labour’s populist move to a “Tory-Lite” agenda has left a huge vacuum in Scotland, now being filled by real people with real heart and a real desire for structural change. Maybe one day, Labour will return to its original mission and gain support, but most of us have woken up and moved on. A bloated drunk, lying in the gutter shouting “come back ah didnae mean it”

    1. tog says:

      Who is filling this gap? Not the snp who talk left but act centre right not the SSP who are a fringe party at best and likely to stay that way and not the Greens who are a minor party. Social progress in Scotland which stalled for the campaign seems to show no signs of revival. The SNP who seemed to have no roadmap if they won the referendum not surprisingly have roadmap for if they lost. So now everything is on hold until Labour can be destroyed in Scotland and some other way be found to what seems the single answer and preoccupation independence. How depressing.Scotland deserves better than all the parties we have just now and real progress is further away than ever.If a single coherent idea emerged during the campaign I missed it.

      1. Clootie says:

        You missed it!
        You obviously had no involvement. People set aside party views and united on achieving the common aim of a fairer Scotland.

        Where were you during the last two and a half years?

  14. Fed up with the lies and propaganda of the London Media Industrial Complex says:

    One of the incentives of voting Yes, apart from Scotland regaining its Independence and self respect and putting the the likes of loathesome Jim Murphy and ” Doctor ” Lord John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan out of a job, would be to stop the insufferable self loathing ‘Scots’ rabid BritNats triumphalist gloating.

    But don’t worry, this day will pass, and there will be another referendum and that one will be successful.

  15. leavergirl says:

    Wonderful news, Mike. Cheered me up, it did. 🙂

  16. Fed up with the lies and propaganda of the London Media Industrial Complex says:

    The Sun headline, where’s the BritNat better together stuff ? Oh well, that didn’t last long, normal service has resumed I suppose.

  17. Patrick Hogg, Biographer of Robert Burns says:

    When our First Minister quoted the song Bonnie Dundee, he was warning the Better Together drew that they had not seen the last of him and the voice now engendered within the Scottish body politic. ‘Tremble fale Whigs in the midst o’ yer glee’ etc No more top-down politics he said. Well, that will threaten every careerist politician in the land who act like dominance animals over their territory and oppose creativity, ideas, enthusiasm, passion and collective action like the demonstration at the BBC.

    The REALITY is that there is NO SETTLED WILL OF THE SCOTTISH PEOPLE coming from the referendum result. The will of the Scottish people was subjected to the most intense ideological barrage of Westminster’s elites than many went to the polls petrified, not just scared, that the Scottish economy would collapse on the friday morning and so many pensioners I spoke to thought they were getting their pensions taken from them. Any individual scaring people in this manner would be arrested, brought before a country and justice meted out to them. Christine Graham MSP was right to blast the disgraceful abuse dished out to pensioners: I for one will never forgive the motley crew of MP’s who did this to steal a victory from the Yes Scotland camp. We won the argument hands down and they know it.

    The settled will of the Scottish people is NOT for extra powers. It was very far from settled. It was deliberately very unsettled to the point of boiling with frenzied anti-democratic madness. The will of the Scottish people was poisoned by Westminster greed. That vote was obtained through extortion, fear, hysteria and a team of elites deployed to orchestrate a magnitude of fear and uncertainty that might have caused Arthur’s Seat to erupt below our feet were we caught up by it. Many were. I know several people who have opened their heart to me in the last days regretting they voted No. They are angry they were duped.

    How we approach the election next year will be a test of whether or not we can keep the strands of the Yes Scotland campaign together or not in complete focus to win a majority of MP’s for the YES/SNP cause for Independence. I would be happy as a member of the SNP to work for a Yes Scotland candidate in my area if there is agreement. Talents have come to the fore and I hope the SNP and YES teams work in tandem to allow these talents to get elected. Cat Boyd, Jeane Freeman, Lesley Riddoch, Blair Jenkins and many others would make great candidates for a YES/SNP banner if we can keep the movement together.

    I would love to see a majority of pro-Independence candidates win the election of May 7th 2015 under the banner of Yes Scotland/SNP or whatever can be arranged to keep Yes going. Even better would be a majority of votes cast and a demand for UDI..
    ..

  18. Sure Scot says:

    FYI – I have joined the Labour party this week.
    I voted SNP when I was younger but have voted Labour the last 17 years.
    This week and the last few months have taught me that the Silent Majority need to be active in politics – not just the 44.7%.
    Since the referendum result there is now talk of declaring independence by other means (UDI) and possibly another referendum if SNP have a majority in 2016.
    Don’t you guys get it?
    Over 2 million scots want to keep the union!
    The yes vote was supposed to be about “getting the government we vote for” – that democracy in Scotland is being ignored.
    The referendum has given the democratic result that we voted for.
    Now you guys are choosing to ignore the will of the majority of Scots.
    This nonsense about a Yes alliance forcing independence or declaring another referendum is an affront to democracy!
    Please give it up for the good of the Scotland.

    1. Fed up with the lies and propaganda of the London Media Industrial Complex says:

      ”Please give it up ”

      I wish you would. CyberBritNat trolls are mind numbingly tiresome.

    2. Tina Feedgie says:

      Sure Scot, you’re right that the majority did vote to maintain the union. However, that doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do and in my experience the right thing to do is rarely the easiest thing to do.

      Reluctant Yes voters wanted change and were brave enough to vote Yes, reluctant No voters wanted change but thought it was safer to stick with the status quo.

      I hope your silent majority do get involved in politics, although you may regret it as more of them will have their eyes opened to what’s going on and that can only lead one way. It’s a case now of baby steps rather than giant leaps.

      The truth will out, and with it will go the union. Meanwhile, enjoy your moment in the sun.

    3. Ellen says:

      Sure Scot

      So you think it is okay for a smirking Party political leader to be photographed outside a major supermarket obviously not caring about the effect this would have on the people she says she represents and you also think that it is okay to side with Cameron to allow air strikes but refuse to wear a war for heroes wristband. Did you not see the blatant storytelling from Darling and Brown? Why also was it allowed that after the postal votes were in, new promises could be made by the BT campaign. Surely this cannot be democratic? The Scottish people do not like a liar and will not forget. Methinks before long you might be the only Labour Party member in Scotland!

  19. Patrick Hogg, Biographer of Robert Burns says:

    Sure Scot.
    I consider what was done by the Better Together crew ‘an affront to democracy’. A national Breach of the Peace. Project Fear and project Hysteria are an affront to democracy. The intervention of the Westminster’s wealthy 1% to bray into the living rooms of.millions via TV to scare the wits out of them and effectively tell people DONT DARE VOTE FOR INDEPENDENCE – that sort of abuse of power; is that what you call democracy? It was the masters Voices of Westminster ordering the Scots what to do as we really should not have had the right to vote in a referendum. Blatantly undemocratic forces. Quite nasty people really. The type who kiss a baby with one hand and drop bombs with the other. The totalitarian mind of the Empire elites wont stop us forever whoever you join Mr Sure. Thanks for reaching out to us.

    1. Sure Scot says:

      What these businesses did was what they should have done at the early stages of the referendum campaign – tell it like it is!
      The reason they never did this was because the opinion polls suggested that independence was not going to happen.
      The YouGov poll changed that – people needed to realise the consequences of becoming independent.
      Of course prices would rise when you only spread overheads and costs amognst 5 million instead of 63 million.
      What would become apparent if there was another ref is that these realities and risks would still exist.
      However the Yes campaign scare stories would not exist anymore – the NHS will still be safe and not privatised, the Barnet formula will still be in place, unemployment will have fallen, defence contracts will have been assured and also North sea oil will be further in decline – all proving that we were right not to believe the fantasy of independence.

      1. polwarthian says:

        Sure Scot said -“Of course prices will rise when you only spread overheads and costs amongst 5 milion instead of 63 million”

        This absolute deceit by UKOK convinced many seemingly intelligent people to vote No – let’s follow the logic.John Lewis was one of the big names, but the logic applies to all of the big brands who did what they were told after a Downing St meeting they were called to, and told us prices would go up.

        Does John Lewis sell goods at a profit in its stores in Scotland?
        Yes
        Do any other stores sell the same goods as John Lewis in Scotland?
        Yes
        If John Lewis put their prices up could shoppers use other stores to buy the same goods?
        Yes

        It just makes no economic sense whatsoever, and these businesses who made such statements were trying to scare the Scottish voters. It worked, but let’s work hard to make sure that this deceit doesn’t become revised by the likes of Sure Scot as anything other than that. Lies to scare people.

  20. Patrick Hogg, Biographer of Robert Burns says:

    A majority on May 7th 2015 will do for a start! Btw Mr Sure Scot – the man I first heard proposing UDI for SCotland, was the most talented Labour MP of recent years – Robin Cook. (Sadly he didnt have the guts to do it).

  21. kate says:

    Re possible gifts from this referendum failure:

    what if post defeat a stronger element of egalitarian consensus could be created amongst pro independence groups

    by which i mean by time of next referendum or UDI
    partly as a result of all those new progressive SNP members, only coming in through referendum defeat

    might SNP be moved to left & support some or all of these : something approaching living wage and at least high end progressive tax reform , drop low corporation tax or made it highly targeted or conditional, not support entry into NATO or TTP, drop currency union with UK (and have another currency strategy ideally held by all pro indy groups), offer vote on end of monarchy?

    Much harder to argue no basic common platform or goals post indy then.
    Older people especially perhaps need as much certainty as possible about what new order will entail, whoever is in parliament.

    1. Sure Scot says:

      It looks like the SNP is fast becoming a far left party.
      The more traditional SNP voters (the tartan tories) will desert the SNP in their thousands!
      They will start voting tory again as they mainly vote SNP to keep left political parties out.

      1. Tog says:

        I suspect this is a very real concern for the SNP. How to keep the new support they have in urban Scotland but not alienate traditional supporters in the north east and Perth. Difficult to square this circle but suspect if anyone can do this Ms Sturgeon can. As for the SNP fast becoming a far left party, I wish. I suspect they will drop some of the more free market policies such as a drop in business taxes and be a little less pally with the Murdochs and bankers but this can only be a good thing. Hopefully the message beware of overseas multi millionaires apparently bearing gifts has sunk home.

      2. Whaffle snaw says:

        Ha ha.

  22. oldbattle says:

    AYE is a magic word. Let’s use it going forward,
    For yes, Aye is the sigh of loss but
    But AYE is the YES in the battle against negation, and alienation
    And AYE is for ever, always,determined
    Let’s keep
    AYE!

  23. Reblogged this on davidmuir1745 and commented:
    I would like to see the smile wped off your self serving,self satisfied face, you are a DISGRACE to Labour as it was originally set up.now in bed with the Tories,happy to be in their pockets, fully suporting of Austerity measures for Scotland,you self serving pig know as much about democracy as I know about geological stratas,oops my mistake I remember now that I Do know more about geological stratas than you know about democracy.How you,you apology for a politician got elected amazes me so I suppose its the triumph of stupidity over corruption,you are stupid and corrupt,you are just not sure which one should be uppermost.Scotland Yet.

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