THE National’s report on the proposed People’s Alliance was an interesting read. From mistrust to skepticism over “Trojan horse” platforming, many Yes campaigners are clearly frustrated from being strongly linked to the SNP.
The Yes movement has paid a high price for largely collapsing into a single political party – shackled to Brexit and often little else. Our strength in the 2012-2014 Yes campaign was its diversity, from artists to greens, businesspeople to poverty campaigners and many more besides.
READ MORE: Yes group The People's Alliance hopes to form 'main opposition'
It terrified the establishment. The recent small beer from the First Minister – retesting the 2014 question, ruling out a Catalan-style referendum and issuing some booklets on the case for Yes – won’t frighten Boris. And we know it.
We need to refresh the movement’s diversity. What I’m not convinced of is that creating a thin clone of the SNP expressly over independence is practical, feasible or desirable.
The Labour party considered this ruse before – with Labour proposing to stand in the constituency seats and their sister Co-operative Party standing exclusively on the list seats. The Electoral Commission got wind of it, and their little ruse didn’t happen.
READ MORE: Here are some reactions to The People's Alliance's party plans
As for already existing parties – the Scottish Socialist Party and Scottish Greens exist, and the SNP will also stand. Although to maximise seats for independence-supporting parties, many canny Yes voters will cast a different vote on the regional list. The reasoning: if the SNP does well in the constituencies, the list vote counts for much less.
In 2016, more than 750,000 pro-independence votes went into the bin. They elected no-one.
At its November conference, the Scottish Socialist Party has committed to contest the 2021 Scottish elections. We will – through our candidates and policy platform – bring working-class voices back to Holyrood, bring back socialist arguments to the Scottish Parliament and with that platform, embolden the existing pro-independence majority ahead of a second referendum on independence.
First up, we’re not begging for anything. There will be no “Trojan horse” efforts from the SSP. You’ll get what you see – a dedicated force to fight poverty, represent and deliver for working-class people, and continue the drive towards the full powers of independence.
Our parliamentary record shows that we’ve never sold the jerseys, but also constructively worked with others to make clear gains for working-class people.
SSP MSPs put forward bills and members drove the campaigns for free school meals, taking the railways back into public ownership, ending prescription charges and abolishing the hated council tax. We also ended warrant sales – a debt-recovery practise commonly used to humiliate the poor.
Per head, the SSP put forward more bills than any other party.
We’ll be on the streets, at hustings, public meetings, policy forums, independence marches and much more in the year to come, fighting for an independent socialist Scotland.
We will also use the parliamentary platform to expand the case for independence. Scotland is a wealthy, productive country – but working-class people by and large do not share in the spoils of the nation. It does not have to be that way, and with independence, we can change Scotland from top to bottom.
Promoting progressive advances on pay and conditions, job security, housing, health, elderly care, improved pensions, public ownership, scrapping the council tax, redistribution of wealth, increased taxes for the wealthy, combating fuel poverty, child poverty and the impending climate doom. Bread and butter socialism, fit for the 21st century.
Support these aims, and your choice in 2021 will be a clear and honest one.
Scott Macdonald
Scottish Socialist Party, Lothians
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 hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel