A New Start for Socialism

It seems like Allan Grogan agrees with Len McCluskey that Jim Murphy would be a ‘a death sentence for Labour’.

So this article isn’t about Tim in Ruislip, it’s not even about Malcolm Tucker, although the notion of an (obvious) Labour spin doctor is perhaps systematic of the decline which I am writing about. But this quote, has been stuck in my head for the last few weeks.. Ever since Jim Murphy announced his candidacy for Leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

The decline of my former party has been evident to anyone paying attention. This of course means that no-one outside of Labour for Independence and a few other Yes voters seemed to notice. A landslide electoral victory by the SNP in 2011 was considered a blip, a poor leader. Enter J. Lamont. I don’t specifically feel any great ill will toward Johann. I don’t think she is a bad person, just misguided particularly in the referendum. She isn’t evil, just not genetically programmed to lead a political party.

By election victories maintained the bravado. Yet these victories were in towns where so strong is the tradition of voting Labour, they could put a red rosette on a Tory and still get elected… Some would argue they already have. Ironically for the Scottish Labour leadership it was their biggest victory which finally provided them with the reality check. The referendum result saw a mass sign-up to membership of the three independence parties. With opinion polls now showing that the SNP could take 52% of the Scottish vote in May with the Greens and the SSP looking to increase that Yes supporting number to 60%, reality has now dawned on the rag tag leadership of the Scottish Labour Party.

Lamont has now jumped before being pushed, Sarwar has stood down as Deputy to leave the path open for Westminster’s preferred choice as leader being an MP, (Thus needing a deputy MSP) gaining a seat in the shadow cabinet for his sacrifice… Labour is lost at sea without a rudder.

Step forward Jim Murphy.

Actually before we continue, let’s remind ourselves of Jim’s record:

– Since 2001 Mr Murphy has claimed over £1 million in expenses
– Mr Murphy voted to cap benefits in March 2014
– Mr Murphy failed to show up for the vote against the Bedroom Tax
– Mr Murphy voted for tuition fees despite being NUS president.
– Mr Murphy went on 100 day tour of Scotland campaigning for a no vote, which meant leaving his Eastwood constituency without an MP for almost 1/3 of a year. Yet claimed over £200,000 in Westminster expenses.
– Mr Murphy is a major figure in Labour Friends of Israel, who refuses to recognise of the state of Palestine.

The man who strongly supported the illegal invasion of Iraq and strongly unaligned himself with Ed Miliband when he apologised for said invasion.

Most worryingly Jim Murphy has never rebelled against the party line in Westminster.

This leadership election is now being played out as a battle between New Labour and Old, Right and Left, Murphy vs Findlay. Sarah Boyack seems to have been left out of the equation.

The reality of this media drama is far from that. The truth is despite the support for Findlay within the trade unions and the socialists in the party, the media and more importantly Westminster want Murphy to be leader. While Findlay still has an outside chance, what he will discover if elected leader is that he will be punished for daring to upset the apple cart, offered less control and authority than even JOLO and will put his coat on a shooglie peg, the first day in office.

I speak of this whole debacle no longer a member of the Labour Party, rather a proud member of the only socialist party in Scotland, The SSP. It is with that SSP hat that I write this article. You see Labour is dying, independence was the last chance to restore it and so typically of the party it shot itself in the foot. The fact members like myself, steeped in family tradition of Labour activism should leave is testament to that. These are the dying embers of a once grand party we socialists used to be proud to call home. The question is how long will it take to die out?

In my view that depends on the decision they make with their Scottish Leader. An unlikely Findlay victory will delay the inevitable, a Murphy rise to the top will lead to the death of the party, no longer will they have the vote of Real Labour in Scotland.

Within the SSP we must prepare ourselves for both outcomes, at conference we supported a yes Alliance in 2015, but we must think beyond that. We need to become the obvious choice for the socialists within the Labour Party to join. While over 2500 have applied to the SSP since the referendum, much more comrades have taken the step to join the SNP hoping to bind a nationalist party to a socialist cause.

They do so because we are not there yet. We are not in the position to receive them, to let them know that this is the party for them. That if you are a socialist you belong in the only political party who fights for the working class, and rejects big business, neo liberal capitalism, the Scottish Socialist Party. Despite this we must be ready, Abe Gubegna, the Ethiopian novelist and playwright once wrote;

“Every morning in Africa, a Gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a Lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest Gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Lion or a Gazelle… when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”

We need to get running, we need to create a socialist agenda that will appeal to the socialists throughout the Labour Party, the SNP and even the Greens. We have much to do but our first step should prove to people the of Scotland, who and what we stand for.

Clause iv was removed by Tony Blair as a symbolic gesture that the Labour Party was open for business, that it was no longer ‘Real Labour’ but wolves in sheeps clothing. Our constitution has a reworded version of Clause iv. I propose we amend it to its original text;

To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service.

Let this be the message to those who believe in a better way that we are the party for them. Let this be the symbol to the socialists within the Labour Party that we are home for you. This is not the sum of our change, rather the first firing shot over the bow that the Scottish Socialist Party are here and we are the mainstream, the real socialist voice of the people of Scotland.

Oh … And if Labour vote for Jim Murphy…

Malcolm Tucker: ..those three little words, “Jim Fucking Murphy”, are the fucking nails in your coffin, dear.

[IMITATES HAMMERING]

Malcolm Tucker: Jim. Fucking. Murphy.

Comments (35)

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  1. Harry Alffa says:

    You seem not to be listening, but I’ll say again; if you want instant economic growth the solution is bailoutswindle.com

  2. Robert says:

    I agree that the SSP should be the true beneficiaries of former Labour socialists. I get the impression that many are joining the SNP either believing it’s more socialist than it really is or hoping to make it more socialist.

    1. tartanfever says:

      Or possibly that these members are not socialist in the first place.

      1. Iain Hill says:

        I like your rewording, but I would prefer common control instead of ownership. Our previous attempts at baton all or municipal ownership have not always succeeded. Work with everyone according to their talents, but keep the profits for the benefit of the people!

    2. bowanarrow says:

      Or is it possible that independence first and then socialism is the real thinking of the people of Scotland. I know its my thinking.

      1. Robert says:

        I’ve definitely heard people expressing that view as well. I guess it’s a matter of priority. I think the SSP have a lot to offer, but they are a small party and I can understand and respect people seeing the SNP as the quickest route to the goal of independence, if that’s the highest priority.

        For me, the question of what kind of independent Scotland is of equal importance, so I joined the Greens. I think the specific ideology of each party is important, especially in the middle and long term, but in the short term (GE 2015) probably the most important that we keep our nerve and vote against the WM parties. That’s the best way to demonstrate the permanent change in Scottish politics.

      2. revjimbob says:

        In my case it’s independence in order to get socialism.

      3. Voline says:

        That puts me to mind of something I read recently in an essay by the American radical Kristian Williams called “‘Strict Discipline Combined With Social Equality’: Orwell on Leadership in the Spanish Militias”:

        “The theory was that the war had to be won before the revolution could proceed, but in the event, militarization only insured that the revolution was over before the war was. Where untrained and ill-equipped workers had fought the fascists to a stalemate while simultaneously reorganizing society, the new Army, with its formal discipline and Soviet guns, abandoned the revolution and decisively lost the war.

        “Orwell was later convinced that the only way to win would have been to let the revolution proceed.”

  3. Jim Bennett says:

    Hello Allan.
    Like you, I’m a former Labour Party member but left some time ago. I joined the SNP rather than the Greens for a number of reasons:
    – with a membership of 80k+, a huge influx of new members and being the party of Government, membership of the SNP offers a real opportunity to make a leftward shift happen quickly.
    – The Greens probably reflect much of the politics of many on the left in Scotland, they can and should be elected in numbers to hold the SNP to account but the reality is that they’ll be limited in what they can achieve…and I’m getting old…
    – I was a member of the SSP in the period when they went from zero to 6 MSPs. However, the sectarian poison that dominated/dominates the SSP is straight out of Monty Python…Palestine Popular Front or Popular Front for Palestine anybody?

    I honestly think that membership of the SSP offers a dead end. New members will be prey to a myriad of sects preaching The Way. Most will become used up, hacked off and drained by their experience of internal machinations and antagonism to people not in the “in” crowd. Even mentioning Tommy Sheridan brings many SSP people into vituperative spasms. I encountered many SSPers during the referendum campaign who were more interested in focussing attacks on Sheridan rather than on the Tories/no Campaign.

    I am under no misapprehensions about what the SNP are. However, if you want to actually make change and make it quickly, the SNP may offer the opportunity to do that. The SSP certainly won’t.

  4. Fully says:

    I see it a lot more simply. Many were fooled into believing Westminster gives a damn about anyone in Scotland despite the fact that more people live in London alone than Scotland. Cameron played a very clever trick. He pushed for devo max in Scotland and brought everyone on board including Labour then the next day after vote stood up and rightly said ok we give them devo max but in doing that we must give England devo max. I mean that’s fair we can’t have English MP’s deciding on England only whilst Scottish MP’s vote on both English and Scottish matters. Ed suddenly thought shit I rely on Scotland for my power but doing this will leave Labour forever powerless in the only important country England due to the way they vote in England so he took the only action he could based on his choice and told Scotland to xxxx off. Don’t take it personally it’s just business at the end of the day. Scotland has a population of just over 5 million and London alone is now nearing 9 million. To the Scotts Scotland is important to England your nothing more than an average cities population. I’m a Scott living in England and all I’ve seen was an unbelievable amount of naive voters in Scotland who believed Westminster (yes I’m still laughing at that one). Poor England doesn’t have the luxury of a border they only have UKIP (like them or not) as a way of telling Westminster and Labour what they think of them. The crazy thing is that even in the home of Westminster they’ve got the courage to vote YES to change using the only option they have.

  5. dasoulsby says:

    Well said!

    My family were there at the start of the Labour Party,
    I was a shipyard worker and proud Labour party member and trade union member,

    Any one remember them? “The Boiler Makers & Shipwrights”

    I brought up my children to vote Labour,
    In the 1970s the British establishment through every thing it had, at destroying the Labour Party
    Terrified at the idea of a socialist peoples republic of Britain.
    Including planning a military coup against Harold Wilson’s Government.
    To be headed up by Lord Mountbatten. who agreed in secret to the plan!

    I kept the faith in labour right up until I saw the right wing attitude to the idea of an independent Scotland
    With Socialist values. GOD FORBID!

    I was incensed during the IndyRef at being continuously attacked by labour followers as a F+@><+g Nationalist.

    I hoped that if we achieved Independence the labour party would rise and take the reigns at Holyrood.

    HAHAHAHA How Naive was I !!??

    Well I Just joined the SSP!

    I am now going to do my best to bring down all the war mongering, Neo Liberal charlatans that masquerade as representatives of the working people.

    Bring down to the Neo Liberal Wolves in Sheep's clothes!

    Long Live the True Socialists, "The Scottish Socialist Party."

    We welcome all the betrayed disillusioned and disaffected comrades, of the now over run, infiltrated and defunct Labour Party.
    Come and join us in helping to build a better socialist Scotland for out children and grand children.

    "No Pasaran" Keep the Red Flag Flying High.

    1. Denis says:

      I was a shipyard worker and proud Labour party member and trade union member,

      Any one remember them? “The Boiler Makers & Shipwrights”

      ——————-

      Yes I was one of the ‘Black Squad” with that shite McGarvey at the head, with his fancy limousine. ”McGarvey received the CBE in 1970, and was knighted shortly before his death” Tells you all you need to know doesnt it? And now we’ve got carpetbagger Murphy – will Labour ever learn?

      I served my time as apprentice boilermaker/plater in Brown’s Boiler Shop – or Broons Biler Shoap…. later to Govan, Lithgow’s, Yarrow’s, Bubbly Young’s, JB Offshore in Yoker, then Methil, Kestrel Dundee and others. Itinerant craftsmen always hunting for work. Until Thatcher demolished our industry and I took another road, beginning with Ruskin College Oxford, now sadly emasculated. I often wonder what happened to all my workmates when engineering was vandalised by Tories and accepted by Labour.

      For a long time I stuck to the idea that we had so much in common with our brothers and sisters in England, and we do – but after twenty years and more of them voting Tory I just gave up. Enough is enough. Scots were punished enough waiting for a change down south.

      I remember the workers of Yarrow’s denying US backed fascist Pinochet his frigate – can you imagine that now?
      ………..

      1. David Soulsby says:

        Dan,

        Its great to hear from someone as old as me who was there. I served my time as a plater for Mac Gregor Hatches based in Blyth Shipyard in Northumberland. I worked on ships in Swan Hunters and I was also sent to Govern in 1975 to work.
        After they started to kill us all off I became a migrant worker leaving the North East and traveling to work in Holland And Germany.
        Great people, Noble struggle, What a sell out!
        I too give up now!
        Right up until a few weeks before the Indyref I hoped that the Scottish Labour party, who I thought were far more Real Labour, would break ranks and take the side of the working class.

        I guess I will always be a Naive optimist.

        Now I want to help get a yes coalition of Scottish parties into power.
        The Labour Party is welcome to Mr Murphy.
        Scotland deserves so much better.

  6. Dan Huil says:

    Good article. I hope the SSP continues to garner support. I also hope all members of the Yes family – whether members of a particular party or not – continue to stay together to reach our ultimate goal: independence.

  7. IAB says:

    My hope is that all independence leaning parties work together to get Labour out of Scotland and then work together to put things in place to reassure formerly No voters before the major push for independence. At that time, politics in Scotland will expand – for sure there will be a Unionist Party and I anticipate that people will move between SNP, Green and SSP with a few splinter parties emerging. Work together in the meantime and prove to the No voters that they can trust you all.

    1. macart763 says:

      Well said.

    2. Frank M says:

      Agreed! Well said IAB.

  8. Pam McMahon says:

    I am a socialist, but have joined the SNP.
    You are exactly correct in stating that you “are not there, yet” You are not in a postion to receive those potential voters. I live in the Far North. There is nothing up here even barely resemembling a Socialist opportunity. We have a well- entrenched feudal electorate which used to vote Tory, before that became non-PC in Scotland, and now vote Lib Dem. There are similar seats in Perthshire, Orkney & Shetland and the Borders.
    SSP will never make serious inroads into seats like these without significant spending and logistics. Concentrate on those SLAB seats in the West of Scotland, and discuss with other parties, which of you is more likely to win specific seats, so you don’t have to battle against other pro=independence parties..

  9. Michael McLintock says:

    As far as im concerned there is too much talk of a socialist Scotland. This is backward thinking and should be left in the past.

    Part of the reason we failed in the YES campaign is too many people were frightened. Some by the no camp lies, but others were No from the start and stayed there because of a fear of a socialist government in total charge. Probably most if not all Tories, some Labour and even many SNP voted no for this reason, in my opinion.

    I agree with many, but not all socialist principles but I also agree with some right wing principles.

    I would prefer to see references to ‘socialism’ changed to ‘fairness’. That’s what I wanted out of an Indy Scotland, a fairer society. It might just be a word, but for many voters, socialism means spending money we don’t have and worry about the consequences later. Whether that’s a true reflection of socialism or not isn’t really the issue. It’s the perception of that word to many ordinary voters which stopped them even considering the case for Indy before the campaign even started.

    I don’t think we would ever see a socialist Scotland, but id like to see a fairer Scotland where we live within our means. It needs a new kind of politics to get there as the reality is it would take several parliaments to achieve this in a fair way to all.

    1. dasoulsby says:

      There is nothing backward thinking or looking about socialism and I for one will always call a spade a spade. Too many people are ignorant of Socialism and I don’t need to change the word Socialism to something else to appease the Tories.
      Socialism is a fairer way!
      IT is about power in the hands of the people,
      Governing the people, for the people. Its about us all owning all of our resources not having them in the hands of private corporations with their idea of fairness!
      If you want a fairer Scotland then the power must be in the hands of the Scottish people.
      What do you mean too many people have this perception of Socialism and would not want it.
      The greatest thing to come out of the referendum was the education of the voting people.
      South America has struggled with the right wing interference of the USA in its affairs for decades.
      Now the new Socialist countries are thriving with a far fairer society.
      These people don’t need to change the names, they are proud to be taking control of their resources and are bringing them all back into public ownership.
      If you want a fantasy land of happy fair minded rich Tories you need look no further than the SE of England.
      Isn’t this what we want independence from!

      1. Denis says:

        You asked if anyone remembered the Boilermakers…. do you remember asking that? Do you revisit your posts?

        Maybe those caulkers’ hammers have damaged your memory as well as your hearing!

    2. IAB says:

      I like the concept of an inclusive Scotland where people matter. Socialist is not a dirty word but the MSM label it this way (hence the need for a print newspaper). All decent people are socialist. Socialism means ‘a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.’ Isn’t that what fairness is?

      1. 1314 says:

        I agree with Michael McLintock.

        I would like Scotland to be an independent country. It makes no difference whether the UK government is Tory, Labour or otherwise – they cannot have, and it would not be reasonable for them to have, the interests of Scotland as their priority.

        When we are independent we will get the government supported by a majority of Scottish voters. While I am on the left side, I suppose, it is not up to me to say how an independent Scotland should be run.

        It’s fine to have our own visions of how Scotland could be – but we need to separate out the difference between being in control of our own affairs and how that control should be exercised.

    3. Denis says:

      ”socialism means spending money we don’t have” you say. I’m sorry you’ve swallowed the austerity line. You should know better. Who’s ”we”?

      Who produced the wealth and who ate it up? All wealth comes from labour, so it’s sad to see you so full of false consciousness.

  10. dasoulsby says:

    I agree with all of you,
    I understand the short comings of the SSP and I can even see that there is a problem with Tommy Sheridan and his breakaway party. Jim you are so bang on about the way the infighting will stop any progress in the party. I remember well the good work that the SSP did at Holyrood before they ripped themselves apart.
    For me it was an inspiration to have a Socialist Party in ANY form of government. God I LOVED it!!
    I chose to join the SSP because I believe that we will need strong checks and balances in our Parliament.
    I for one do not want to see a single party state. As much as I admire the way the SNP have brought about this awakening of the people and genuinely seem to have the best interests of the people at their heart. I am afraid that I don’t believe any one party can be all things to all men.
    The SNP are not a Socialist party,
    If they had there way over the last few years we would be in the Euro zone now, Ruled by an unelected mob in Brussels with NO SOVEREIGNTY for our Nation, linked to a disaster of a currency union, Worse than the currency union they proposed at the referendum a union with the City of London. OMG. They too cozied up to the Banks “Alex’s best mate Fred The Shred!” they now wish to distance themselves from. I can remember cringing as Alex shouted the praises of the Celtic Tiger Ireland, as an economic model for Scotland! Also the Idea that we need to be a member of the most aggressive military club in the world NATO is laughable. I could go on but it is not my intention to slag off the SNP or the Greens or the SSP. I truly believe that we all want the same things and the first priority is Independence so lets all work together to achieve this. Then we can argue our different points and ideologies and work to build Scotland into an even greater Nation than it already is.

    1. Denis says:

      ”over the last few years we would be in the Euro zone now, Ruled by an unelected mob in Brussels with NO SOVEREIGNTY for our Nation, linked to a disaster of a currency union,”

      Yes there are problems with the EU – but you forget or dont even know the advances made for us there – maybe you prefer Tory shite from London or useless non socialist Labour. You didnt elect a Tory Govt in Londo but you dont complain about this. Put down your Daily Mail, willya?

      Why dont you call for solidarity among European workers instead of insularity and loving the sterling of the British Bankers Empire?

      Sovereignty? Dont make me boke – what sovereignty did workers ever have?

      Get real, brother.

      1. dasoulsby says:

        Denis,

        I’m not sure what you mean!

        Firstly I have never and would never be a reader of a fascist supporting rag like the Daily Mail.
        I was just trying to point out that as a trading block, as the EEC was set up to be. it achieved great things and I believe that it has been instrumental in nurturing peace and human rights across europe since its inception.

        I however do not agree with the Euro as a currency, It has failed totally and I wanted to point out that, had we joined we like Greece or Portugal we would be in a far greater mess than we are.
        With the banks stripping our assets for them selves.
        I also do not agree with or want to be part of the creeping in of the “European Federal States”

        I think that any alliance with the City of London and there masters in the Bank of England along with their indebted Sterling currency would spell disaster for Scotland.

        It is a fact, that the European Commission is Unelected, Therefore by definition Undemocratic.
        I would go further to say it is the tool of the Elites and the corporate establishment.

        I don’t know what I said that made you think that I would vote for or prefer “Tory Shite!
        I have also out lined my feelings of betrayal by the “useless non Socialist Labour Party”
        Don’t know what more to say on that.

        One thing I do know is that Scotland MUST have its own currency if it is to have its own Sovereignty.

        I hope this this has cleared up the misunderstanding that I am a Daily Mail Reading Tory or Tory, lite Labour voter.

        As far as me not understanding Europe or wanting to call for solidarity with workers across Europe.
        I was forced to leave my home in the NE. of England in the 1970s I found work in Holland, where I learned to speak the language “a bit” I then worked in Germany and learned that language.
        I thought it was only right to integrate.
        In the 1980s I moved to spain and worked and lived there for 18 years. I also taught myself to speak
        Spanish fluently. To integrate and be more a part of the working class communities I was living with.

        So I consider that I am reasonably knowledgeable of Europe and its people, and what the EU has done and not, for us all.currency

        I believe that we and I mean Scotland, should be members of Europe but use our own currency “whatever it may be” and use the opportunity of our reentry, when and if it comes, to negotiate a trading deal much the same as Scandinavia has. Which reduces the power of the commission over our internal politics.

        I hope that this has cleared up the misunderstanding that I am a Daily Mail Reading Tory or Tory, lite Labour voter.

        I do agree with you, that I am more of an Idealist than a Realist!

  11. Clootie says:

    I am a socialist and a member of the SNP. I enjoyed working with members of the SSP and Greens during the YES campaign. The SNP are a very broad church and I have no issue with that because I would like that makeup at Holyrood. Does it really matter if an issue is challenged by someone on the left of the SNP or by a member of the SSP?.

    I could easily be a member of the Green Party also.

    I would prefer that we remain united on building a better fairer Scotland rather than returning to party politics and pushing membership of individual parties once again.

    I would like to keep the people of Scotland as my priority (especially those in greatest need) NOT Party Politics.

    Please maintain the YES alliance as we share many values.

    1. macart763 says:

      Yet another well said. 🙂

      Oh and ditto on both the socialist and SNP member (albeit recent).

  12. Today the SNP open its doors to the concept of the ‘Yes Alliance’ for May 2015 offering non member – Yes campaigners the chance to run as SNP candidates but with their own tag line –

    Allan Grogan – SNP socialist for Scotland; does not look that bad …

  13. David Agnew says:

    Murphy wasn’t sent to save Scottish labour. He was sent to die with Scottish labour. Murphy being in charge when labour faces meltdown in Scotland, will face pressure to stand down, Miliband I think realises he doesn’t need the Scottish branch of his party, and never did. He does need those rightwards leaning floating votes in the south. Miliband gets rid of a thorn in his side and loses what exactly? Would not surprise me to learn he views his Scottish branch in the same way Cameron views his.

    Just watch the video of him trying to get a point across as Scottish Mp’s continually shout “Scotland says Naw” so loud, he can’t get a word in. The irritation in his face is plain to see and when he glances over to Darling, he can only shrug.

    Miliband doesn’t take Scottish labour seriously – why would he? But Scottish labour don’t really respect Miliband, he just hasn’t been able to put his stamp on the party. There is a widening schism between the two wings but with no real talent to see the peril, let alone repair it. Of the two, Scottish labour is the worst afflicted. Baillie’s rather odd snipe at Salmond in last weeks FMQ, shows that Scottish labour are still writing their scripts in advance but have no awareness of when to go off script. These people who represent labour, should not be MSPs. They are not even suitable for the role of office assistants. They should never have been elected. They should have known better than to stand for office. Neil Findlay, the union movements choice? He blew his own feet off by saying Lamont was right about universalism, he just wouldn’t have phrased like she did. And that’s problem in a nutshell. Its about the presentation, not the message. The soundbites are old labour, the reality is conservative. But we’re not supposed to judge them on the product being sold, just keep voting for the old label.

  14. Dr Ew says:

    A few points. First to Allan – even the Greens? EVEN the Greens. That’s mighty big of you.

    One of the issues with SSP is a holier-than-thou socialism and that particular line spoke volumes. You do not have a monopoly on how to advance a truly left-wing agenda; Greens have a distinctive and integrated philosophy on re-structuring our democracy and economy to be a freer, more egaliatarian society. That condescending attitude is so typical of the sectarian left, and the very thing the SSP claimed to be out to overcome.

    Second, the SNP’s largesse in opening itself to “non-SNP” candidates under the SNP banner is simply a fig-leaf for the missed opportunity to build a pro-independence Yes alliance. Whether through lack of motivation borne of 60,000 new members or inability to find common ground with the Greens and the SSP – or perhaps the stumbling block was maintaining the individual party identities.

    Whatever the case, it’s clear the ideal of independence does not trump party interest for any of the parties. I truly hope I’m wrong, but I fear Labour may end up squeezing through in several constituencies because of a pro-Yes / anti-Labour vote split between SNP, SSP and the Greens. Twas ever thus.

    1. bellacaledonia says:

      Dr Ew – can you name a constituency where the SSP would ‘split the vote’? Seriously? I have much respect for comrades and friends in there party and movement but I just don’t that statement has any credible basis in 2015 at a GE.

  15. Denis says:

    ”there party”? ”I just don’t that statement ”? ………………Eh?

    Ouch! A wee bit of bottled sunshine may have influenshed that post????Perhapsh?

  16. Denis says:

    well Soulsby

    Of course I dont really think you are a Daily Mail reader. On boilermakers, I remember fitting McGregor hatches, I think in Fairfields shipyard round about the Tory 3 day week.

    As for the euro etc – it’s as bad as the pound which has sunk against the euro since 2006; I dont want to be in the hands of any banker, UK or otherwise. But we are all robbed by them and cowardly Labour stands with Tories here, not jailing bankers. They are the enemy within, to quote the quasi fascist Thatcher.

    As a Scot, I say we got a better deal from Brussels compared to Westminster, and that goes for Geordies too. Scotland has long links to the continent where England made war on it. Of course Scots joined in after the Union of Parliaments in 1707- shame on those Black Watch hirelings.

    Your time in Spain sounds great – shame you couldnt stay there.

    No paseran!!!!!

    Denis

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