It's Started Already
Posted on July 9th, 2024
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So Sir Keir (Knight of the Realm) Starmer wants to reset relationships with the devolved Governments, and has already paid a visit to Scotland. A new approach would certainly be welcome, but it would not be difficult to appear more reasonable than the Tories. However, we should not get too excited. Keir Starmer is a British Nationalist to the core, and while he might be more reasonable than any Tory PM, he is not going to allow Scotland any free rein at all. Even where the Westminster Government does help out, with the Grangemouth oil refinery being high on Starmer’s agenda, you can be sure that the media will be primed to promote any success as being entirely due to Scotland being part of the Union. The fact that a normal, self-governing country could have addressed the issue itself will be completely ignored.
And let us not forget that Lisa Nandy, a newly appointed Minister in the new Cabinet, went on record as saying that anyone supporting Scottish independence should be treated the same way as the Spanish Police treated the Catalans. That doesn’t sound very reasonable to me.
In short, I believe Scotland will be treated better by Labour than we were by the Tories, but only if we do not cause any trouble. Keir Starmer has already asserted that the result of the General Election gives him a mandate to rule Scotland. I suspect it will not be long before those who voted Labour because of dissatisfaction with the SNP will come to regret their choice. British Nationalists will never give us any respect, and Keir Starmer has completely blanked any questions about Scottish independence. He may be offering us a velvet glove, but be in no doubt that the iron fist of Westminster is ready and waiting.
We’ve already seen some examples of how Labour intend to act. Their preference for increased privatisation of the NHS is completely at odds with public sentiment, yet they’ll push it through by spouting nonsense about the need to be fiscally responsible, which they will do by sticking to arbitrary economic constraints set by the Tories.
On top of that, Rachel Reeves, the new Chancellor, has decreed that no new Council houses will be built in England without private investment. I do hope the houses are built, but be in no doubt that the Council tenants will be charged extra to cover the return due to the private investors.
And then there is North Sea Oil. Remember how Better Together assured us it was going to run out by 2019? Well, now it seems that taxing the oil companies is going to help fund Labour’s new UK Wealth Fund. What a surprise! Not. Next time, don’t fall for the lies.
And I must mention electoral reform which is well and truly off the agenda now because Labour seem to think that First Past The Post works. According to Anas Sarwar, Labour’s Scottish Branch Office Manager, they have to work with the system because … well, because that is the system. He apparently hasn’t realised that a Government has the ability to change the system, especially with the stonking majority Labour now have, not to mention the support that switching to Proportional Representation would gain from the Lib Dems, the SNP and greens. Reform would probably like it too, of course, but that’s the price you pay for a properly representative electoral system.
It's only been a few days, and already we are seeing Labour’s credentials as a right of centre party, so Scotland really shouldn’t expect too much. However, if the Scottish Government does not step up, we could see Labour regaining control in Scotland after the next Holyrood elections. Bring on paying for prescriptions, paying for university tuition, and paying for healthcare. Is that really what we want?
What the Scottish Government now needs to do is bring in some really progressive policies which will make life better for all Scots. Tinkering around the edges will not cut it. We need bold, decisive leadership but, as I’ve said before, I am not at all convinced that John Swinney can provide it. Competence in Government would be a nice change, but I’m afraid we need a lot more than that if we are to have any hopes of becoming a normal, self-governing country.