Why was everybody miserable at the Scottish Labour conference? – @BigGreenFolf

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When you say “everybody”, that implies that many people were affected by the horrors of this conference. In fact, it was fairly deserted from what I could see, with a suspicious black curtain blocking off most of the empty seats in the venue. It seems the only way Labour can draw a crowd in Scotland is with a pencil and paper. Frankly, I don’t know what was more empty – the conference room or Kezia Dugdale’s head. Her countless U-turns have now merged into a catastrophic downward spiral.

However, it can be said that Kez has united Scotland, but only in the sense that people of all political persuasions can be equally baffled by her decisions. Dugdale’s latest grand plan is for the Scottish electorate to somehow federalise the whole of the UK. How exactly this has been determined to be a rational, or indeed sane, course of action is beyond the comprehension of this writer, and presumably most voters.

Clearly, the Labour Party doesn’t care about Scotland’s opinion, as they have voted consistently with the Conservatives on matters to do with Brexit. This, of course, has become standard operating procedure in recent times. We had hoped that Jeremy Corbyn would offer a break from the usual “Red Tory” activities, but it seems he’s only further confused the public as to what Labour stands for. They could form two separate, effective parties, but instead they have opted to mash together opposing political agendas to create an unelectable mess.

Certainly, Scottish Labour’s “Together We’re Stronger” slogan is somewhat undermined by the fact that Labour are neither strong, nor together. Likewise, Corbyn describing Scottish independence as a “folly”, whilst his own party looks like a clowder of cats trying to navigate a bouncy castle, is laughable. However, this hasn’t stopped them from launching an anti-second referendum campaign to battle the SNP. It should be noted that this is not being referred to as a “pro-UK campaign”, but an anti-independence one. Presumably, because the UK is in such an awful state right now.

This campaign originates from Labour’s belief that the SNP have no mandate for a second referendum. However, Labour lecturing the SNP on mandates, as support for their party steadily depletes, and support for the SNP increases, seems extremely dubious. The elected political majority in the Scottish parliament are pro-independence. Labour suggesting that there is no mandate for indyref2 is simply a lie. If you ask me, justifying Scottish Labour is far harder than justifying a second Scottish independence referendum.

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What are your thoughts on Sadiq Khan’s comments about Scottish nationalists? – Michael, Glasgow

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It demonstrates a staggering lack of self-awareness on Khan’s part to be happily congratulating Pakistan and India on their independence days each year, whilst calling anyone in favour of such freedom for Scotland a xenophobe.

If the roles were reversed, and one of Scotland’s politicians had announced that everyone in favour of the UK is a racist, there would have been an unimaginable backlash against them. However, the media have inexplicably taken a sympathetic view of Khan’s words, attempting to spin them into some sort of commentary on “divisiveness”. Exactly how making broad, sweeping generalisations about Scottish politics combats divisiveness, is anyone’s guess. Nonetheless, this seems to be the approach being adopted by the Labour Party, and whilst their desire to speak out against racism is noble, the target of their accusations seems questionable.

I’ve witnessed racism from some pro-independence and some Unionist-minded individuals, but I don’t act like this tiny minority of bigots are representative of the debate. Our independence referendum was, frankly, like a beacon of equality and progressiveness compared to the intolerant nightmare that was Brexit. Scottish independence centres on civic nationalism, which is a non-xenophobic form of nationalism compatible with values of freedom and individual rights. Our issue is with the democratic deficit within the United Kingdom.

It is not based around the sort of anti-foreign views that were displayed by many within the UK-led Brexit campaign. These die-hard Brits are often of the view that the UK is somehow superior by default – that it doesn’t need the EU, or that without the might of Britain, Scotland couldn’t survive. This superiority complex is very different to the Scottish nationalist mentality, which simply strives to be on equal footing with any other free country in the world.

Scotland doesn’t see itself as being “the best” nation in Europe, it simply wants to be respected as a free country within that community of nations. Perhaps Sadiq should turn his outrage towards the increasingly Ukip-like Tories, instead of taking shots at the outward-looking SNP?

Comrades, I’d normally make jokes about a statement as stupid as Khan’s, but I find being called a racist incredibly offensive.

Most of Scotland’s elected parliament support Scottish independence, and for the Mayor of London to have accused them all of xenophobia is appalling. I’m used to Scotland’s democratic voice being ignored in the UK, but dismissing us as bigots is inexcusable.

Ironically, stupid, uninformed and wrong opinions such as Khan’s will only strengthen the case for Scottish independence.