CONGRATULATIONS Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Labour’s sixth leader in eight years. It now falls to her to make sense of the almost catastrophic predicament of Scottish Labour. The leadership of Scottish Labour has been called one of toughest jobs in Scottish politics but it may also soon become one of the most complicated in UK politics.
Never before has such a profound disconnect existed between a Scottish party and its former voters. Those in what were their heartlands are just so far ahead of where Labour currently reside it would almost take a total realignment to even get into their slipstream. In their contest there was little sign Labour has even started to understand their current predicament, save for a couple of remarks from Alex Rowley about the need to be “open” about full fiscal autonomy.
It was totally overshadowed by the ongoing UK leadership contest, energised by a meaningful debate. The UK party has found its anti-austerity voice in Jeremy Corbyn, but no such left-wing contender was available in what must be about the most passionate anti-austerity part of the UK. When Scottish Labour had the chance to vote for the Scottish equivalent, Neil Findlay, in their last-but-one leadership election, he was comprehensively rejected in favour of arch Blairite Jim Murphy. This time the two leadership candidates couldn’t have been more indistinguishable in their banal political offerings.
So just how would the Scottish Labour Party get on with a Corbyn-led UK party?
Such a party would present a direct challenge to so many of the political positions held by Scottish Labour over the past few decades. From Trident to austerity, Scottish Labour couldn’t be further from the politics of Jeremy Corbyn. Scottish Labour may be the last bastion of unreconstructed continuation Blairite centrism.
Where Corbyn might be Dugdale’s worst nightmare we must be relaxed about his leadership. I’m sure many in the Yes movement were disappointed to hear him put such an unequivocal full stop on further consideration of Scotland’s constitutional ambitions last week. In my 14 years as an MP I struggle to think of one vote on economic, social, or defence policy where I was in a different voting lobby. I don’t think many of my (former) Scottish Labour colleagues could claim such a record. We recently voted together against the Tories’ callous Welfare Reform Bill when the sole tribune of Scottish Labour abstained.
We always said we would work with progressive voices across the UK and Jeremy is one of them. If he wins there is a chance to present a re-invigorated anti-austerity opposition to the Tories.
It’s almost ironic. The SNP might just be more in tune with a new Labour Party than the Scottish Labour Party itself.
Pete Wishart is the MP for Perth and North Perthshire and the SNP’s Shadow Leader of the Commons
Call for Corbyn ally Neil Findlay to have a role in Kezia Dugdale's shadow cabinet
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