LABOUR peer Jack McConnell has been announced as the new chair of Reform Scotland, a non-partisan Edinburgh based think tank designed to promote economic prosperity.
The former first minister, who is a keen supporter of the Union, called for "radical and inclusive" debates in Scotland to help "meet the challenges of the 21st century".
Reform Scotland was set up in 2008 to promote "increased prosperity" and the modernisation of Scotland's public services.
Writing on the Reform Scotland website regarding his new appointment, Lord McConnell said: “Reform Scotland has been challenging policy-makers and politicians in Scotland to look at new ideas and approaches that would strengthen our economy, raise standards in education, improve our governance and tackle inequalities. Their approach to evidence and debate is needed today more than ever.”
“As we move on from the pandemic there is a real and urgent need to open up the debates on public policy in Scotland and secure a better future for our country. I am excited to be joining Reform Scotland at this time and I look forward to using my experience to help them make an even greater impact in the future.”
Reform Scotland is a specifically non-partisan think tank that recieves support "across the political spectrum". However, Jack McConnell has long been an outspoken advocate for the union and fierce critic of the SNP led government, saying that Scotland was "worse than it has ever been" in an interview with Holyrood magazine.
Welcoming McConnell to the organisation, Chris Deerin, Reform Scotland's director, said: "While Jack is a member of the Labour Party, he has always put good public policy and the interests of Scotland first, and has excellent relationships with politicians of all parties.
"As First Minister, he pioneered the ban on smoking in public places, set up the Fresh Talent Initiative, which allowed overseas students to remain in Scotland after graduation, and was responsible for major reforms in education and criminal justice. Before that, he was a passionate campaigner for the creation of a Scottish Parliament, and started out as a young, reforming council leader in Stirling.
"Since leaving office he has been an active member of the House of Lords, and his ongoing charity and development work in Africa and elsewhere shows the mark of the man."
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland this morning, McConnell was asked for his thoughts on the incident regarding Keir Starmer outside of Parliament yesterday. The Labour peer said that discourse in the country had been "horrific for a while now" and that it was "not new".
McConnell referenced the Scottish independence referendum as one of the reasons for the coarsening of political discourse in the country. He said: "We've seen two terribly divisive referenda in 2014 and 2016. We've seen politicians afterwards, rather than heal the wounds and bring people together, keep the divisions going to feed their own base and keep their own support".
His comments came after Starmer faced a mob accusing him of “protecting paedophiles” and chants referencing Jimmy Saville before being bundled into a police car for protection. This shocking incident followed Boris Johnson aiming a widely discredited jibe at Starmer for using "his time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile".
The SNP and Scottish Greens have been contacted for comment.
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