POLITICAL messages don’t come much more patronising than that to Scottish anti-austerity voters from a wistful Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.
“Come home to Labour,” he pleaded, whilst claiming that his was now “the only anti-austerity party”.
Well, he would say that wouldn’t he? It is perhaps one of the few things Labour can agree on.
Already we have seen conference shy away from a debate on Trident – with Jeremy Corbyn having to swallow his principles over his fierce opposition to the nuclear deterrent in the face of shadow cabinet unrest, and the pro-Trident stance of Labour paymaster and Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, whose union has tens of thousands of members in the defence sector.
The new leader had also suggested he could back leaving the European Union if David Cameron sacrificed workers’ rights in his renegotiation of Britain’s terms of membership. Then he had to perform a U-turn after more shadow cabinet opposition.
Corbyn also pledged to scrap the cap on benefits, but guess what? Yep, that’s right – his frontbench scuppered that plan too.
And all the while the leader of Labour’s Scottish branch Kezia Dugdale is forging her own path. Promising the “most pro-enterprise” manifesto ever for next year’s Holyrood poll, she said Labour had to renew its relationship with those who generated the wealth Scotland needed to “make our country a fairer place to live”. It sounds suspiciously like something the jilted Blairite wing of the party might say – probably because they would.
Perhaps she has spent to long under the wing of the likes of John McTernan – the former spin doctor whose hatred for his own party now seems to know no bounds.
Dugdale’s direction might not go down too well with McDonnell who, along with Corbyn, has launched a wholesale review of Labour’s economic policies. This includes moves to shift the burden of taxation away from middle and low earners and a “Robin Hood” tax on financial transactions.
McDonnell said Labour had to focus on growing the economy, as well as making sure corporations paid their taxes, and halting Tory tax cuts for the rich.
This rapid rebranding and repositioning is a belated reaction to this year’s election campaign which saw Labour criticised by the business sector after pledges to freeze energy prices, break up the banks and put ordinary workers on companies’ executive remuneration boards.
SNP Deputy Leader Stewart Hosie was correct in his suggestion that Labour “no longer appears to have a coherent position on anything”.
If the party continues shooting itself in the foot and providing ample fodder for cartoonists and political satirists, we may well be treated to the spectacle of another leadership contest before Corbyn has properly warmed up the leader’s seat.
Heard it all before: John McDonnell asks Scots to ‘come home to Labour’
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here