RICHARD Leonard has a fresh mandate, a decisive victory and leads the Labour Party at a time of seismic political change, unprecedented historic challenges, and unparalleled opportunity. There will of course be, the, “events, dear boy, events”, aspect to the new leader’s work, a phrase famously used by Harold MacMillan to describe the slings of outrageous misfortunate that can head your way, erupt at any time, and derail or destroy, “the best laid schemes of men.” Putting matters into perspective is never easy. It is an important cautionary note requiring, good and grounded advisers.

Critics have also raised his lack of practical, political, and parliamentary experience. The facts confirm this, but maybe this could be an advantage. Corbyn offends the sensitivities of the establishment, but he reaches out to people and offers them a different kind of politics. Partly helped by the weakness of Theresa May, Corbyn’s confidence has grown, He is more effective at the dispatch box in the House of Commons. Richard Leonard can benefit from this approach, and be more direct, transparent, and honest with people who want to vote Labour, but feel the Party has left them behind. In France, President Macron didn’t have a party but created a movement. This lesson shouldn’t be lost on the Scottish Labour leader.

 An opportunity exists for him to be radical and relevant. But in doing so he has to accept that there is a new Scotland emerging from the post devolution era. While being close to Corbyn, Scotland requires new thinking and ideas on the constitutional question and a solution that is more than devo unionism. Federalism and fundamental change at Westminster are the only way to sweep away the absolute and often arbitrary rule of Westminster and establish four nation politics. The leadership contest had little to say about the Scotland question.

It won’t go away!

Whilst the new Labour leader does not appear to be a great fan of radical constitutional change, a new approach is long overdue. The left leaning nature of his progressive policy platform must be harnessed to a desire for Labour in Scotland to be, not only part of Labour’s success at UK level, but to become Scotland’s voice putting forward a radical alternative to Independence: being the voice of Scotland is not the same, as being a voice of independence.   

Populism is sweeping Europe. The Brexit fiasco continues to unravel. The Tory Party and its government are disintegrating. The only doubt surrounds the date of their demise. And on a more positive note the improving fortunes of the party in the 2017 general election, suggest that the next decade could be Labour’s.

For the first time in nearly a decade in Scotland, Labour can make a bigger impact, build on the political work started by Kezia Dugdale, create a progressive policy platform for radical change and embrace more confidently and enthusiastically the constitutional question.

Removing the Tories from office at the earliest opportunity and ensuring an increase in the number of Scottish MPs to help Jeremy Corbyn win the next Election, are the most important priorities.

Despite the decline in the Labour vote over the last decade, nearly three quarters of a million people, supported the party in Scotland in 2017. This is a strong base of support and will boost our chances of victory at Westminster and Holyrood.  This task isn’t helped, though, by the discredited first past the post system which showed that in the 2017 general election the SNP secured, on average, one MP for 28,000 votes, the Tories one MP for 58,000 votes and for Labour one MP for a staggering 102,000 votes.  The unique Westminster electoral system is heavily weighted against the Labour Party in Scotland. Time for Richard to speak to Jeremy!

There are lessons to be learned and issues to be tackled.

Polls suggest that our relationship with the United Kingdom is still a towering issue in Scotland. But Labour needs to be positive not negative. Forget about, ruling out future referenda and being obsessed with independence and insulting to those who genuinely want to see Britain governed differently. Federalism is the only alternative to Independence and must be the subject of a new Scotland wide campaign. Labour was squeezed in the recent election between Tories voting the Union ticket and the SNP voting Independence. Labour was caught in no man’s land. The Party did not have a convincing alternative. Voters view politics through a different filter. Perceived as being allied to the Tories, and supporting an unreformed Union, is not in Scottish Labour’s interest. Better together must never mean working with the Conservative Party on the Scotland question.

The new leader must accept that the SNP are both a Party of Government and a movement for radical constitutional change. Labour also needs to be a movement embracing federalism, social democracy and having a vision for Scotland’s future. Being Scottish doesn’t negate or undermine socialism or social democracy. Why shouldn’t Labour be the voice of Scotland?

The SNP is not the party of equality or the “left”, but they have successfully stolen Labour’s clothes on both issues. By history, geography, principles, and political intent the SNP have no right to claim they are. Labour needs to chip away at these myths and offer new ideas, commitment, and practical proposals. Richard Leonard’s life time views will help. His authenticity at First Minister questions may challenge Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that the SNP is the new voice of the left. In this regard Scotland must make more progress in tackling inequality of income, wealth, and opportunity. Key to this are education, health, and housing.

The SNP are vulnerable as their momentum stalls. But no one should underestimate their ability to regain ground as they have a formidable bond with Scots than can be reactivated, especially in a highly volatile political environment where voters are angry and mistrusting and where the wrong Brexit outcome could be a game changer for long suffering scots dismayed at this English creation and angry at this farce masquerading as a Tory Government.

The principles, creed and philosophy behind the creation of the Labour party in 1900, are still as relevant today, if not more so. Richard Leonard’s Kier Hardie credentials are impeccable. He has the opportunity, to fuse the common sense of socialism, the needs of an increasingly, at risk workforce and the challenges facing a younger generation of Scots who feel left behind because of the political influence of an older generation.  In the changing mood of a radically different and modern Scotland, Labour must redouble their efforts to win hearts and minds and be bold.

One lesson, Kezia Dugdale understood, was the idea that the politics of national identity had to be carefully managed. A distinction must be made between Labour voters supporting Independence and Labour supporters who would never support the SNP. This simple point gives credence to the view that many Labour voters may be attracted to Federalism which offers real power to Scotland through the ideas of a written constitution and an end to the absolute sovereignty and the often, arbitrary use of power of Westminster. The absence of a real alternative to independence could result in Labour voters with a split political personality, voting for independence in referenda, voting Labour in general elections for Westminster and being divided and challenged on Holyrood as it represents not only a legislature and government but a forum for keeping pressure on Westminster.

Despite recent success, in the 2017 general election, prospects for the Scottish Tories, will be constrained by geography, their inflexible, but deep- seated unionism, their near total dependency on one remarkably talented star performer and ultimately the fall -out from an increasingly chaotic Government at Westminster, where Theresa thirteen Tories, are propping her up. This raises the idea that it will be Labour supporters – nearly three quarters of a million of them-who hold the future of Scotland in their hands. The more polarised Scots become, between old unionism and Independence, the Tories, and the SNP, young and old, the influence of Labour becomes more important in determining the nation’s future. Much of the Labour vote is the great undecided!

Richard Leonard could be a breath of fresh air in Scottish Labour politics. A more left of centre progressive political platform would be welcome but so would a more inspired vision for Scotland, in or out of the United Kingdom or in or out of the European Union: the idea that Scotland is important, in its own right, is vital. Scottish Labour must create a party and movement that is rooted in the common good, modern in its ambition, more inclusive, obviously tolerant and genuinely proud of the remarkable and enduring principles, creed and values of a party that, at any time, must always represent the time less assertion of the dignity of all men and women.      

This is a good time for a new Leader to start work.  It will be tough. It will be uncompromisingly brutal. It will be harsh and unforgiving. But it will have great rewards and successes. Public service, at the highest level of your party with the prospects of eventually leading your country, is a great incentive.

Congratulations and good luck.