Surrendering to neo-liberal ‘fiscal discipline’

Keith Ewing suggests that Scottish independence may come sooner than the high-speed rail link, partly because of ‘Labour’s extraordinary proposal to give quasi-constitutional status to Austerity.’ Unfortunately, Labour is not alone in this as the SNP manifesto betrays. (UK Constitutional Law Association) - first published in UNISONActive on 27/4/15

He is right that the proposed ‘Budget Responsibility Lock’ – at least without a miraculous and spontaneous economic recovery – would effectively make some level of austerity legally compulsory, if it could be made to work at all.

The shifting politics of Scotland

First published in the Morning Star on 30 December 2014:
It’s been a quiet time in Scotland recently, apart from the Smith Commission on devolution powers, a new first minister, her programme for government, SNP mass rallies, a Labour leadership election, a shadow cabinet reshuffle, the Rangers manager handing in his notice, and the first fall of snow.

I mention the football story because there are parallels with Labour’s situation.

Giving Scotland a reason to back Labour for social justice

First blogged on UNISONActive on 1/12/14 As the dust still swirls after the referendum, the challenge is to bring the focus back to the Scotland we want to see now. Of course the ‘neverendum’ campaign will continue but at some point we will have to address what we do with the powers we have now and will gain soon.

SNP victory: What now for Labour and public services?

With the SNP winning an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament - the thing no party was ever meant to be able to do - what will this mean for Scotland’s public services and for public sector unions trying to defend those jobs and services?

We can analyse – and we will no doubt do so for months – why the result is what it is. Boundary changes had an effect. The Lib Dem vote collapsed and didn’t go to Labour. Labour’s lacklustre campaign must have been an element with policies not clearly articulated and in some cases changed or created on the hoof.