WITH or without a good spin doctor, with or without real policies to promote, Starmer and the Labour Party will dominate the headlines this week for sure with three by-elections. Has Starmer really done enough to command the airwaves as Labour threaten to threaten the Tories, or is the schadenfreude around Tory failure spilling over in the press and media? Or worse, is it just time for change, since any change is better than the status quo?

I mean, will Labour supporters really vote for the party that is refusing to axe that vicious cap on child benefits? Will they vote for a party whose leader was happy to state so publicly that Labour wouldn’t commit to spending more on public services, including that holy of holies, the NHS? I mean, is this Labour, is this socialism?

READ MORE: Labour MP accuses SNP of 'Sinophobia' over China mug stunt

Whatever it is, it isn’t for Scotland. Labour demonstrate again that they don’t have sufficient regard for Scotland. They can’t, since three Labour figures – two current, Monica Lennon and Mercedes Villalba, and one former, Richard Leonard (remember him? No? I didn’t think so) openly challenged this. Dame Jackie B is in flip-flop overdrive!

So that’s the foot soldiers. It is relevant then that the Labour “leader” Sarwar has no positive contribution to this vital area, but then goes on to toe the HQ line quicker than snow melting in the sun, vis a vis proposed changes to Scotland’s drug policy. Labour have lost what was left of their social justice values.

We continue to see that London HQ doesn’t rate us sufficiently to pay heed to Scotland’s voting preferences, resulting in successive Scottish Government policies used to mitigate some of the destruction wrought by Westminster over the years. Sarwar appears to believe Lennon and Villalba will fall into line in time for the General Election. So is this what the Labour Party is relying on: rumblings now, but acquiescence the closer we get to the elections and the sniff of power?

READ MORE: Rishi Sunak welcomes Labour's 'newfound support' for Tory benefit cap

Will they be sanctimonious should they gain that power, saying the inherited coffers are empty and that we need some “Labour light” tightening of the nation’s belt to recover from the disasters of 13 years of Tory mis-government?

But change for change’s sake isn’t enough, and Starmer knows this. So let’s beware of red meat in the months to come. What chance there will be a shadow cabinet reshuffle in time for the autumn conference? Time enough to bed in his task force for the campaign to come.

Murray to be elevated? To what? Minister for Rubber Stamping? And of course, the conference will parade that oldie mouldy Brown, reminding us of our errors but with the promise of Labour salvation.

That’s how Labour view Scotland. Perhaps Starmer will announce a road to Damascus moment. They’ve heard, they’ve listened to the people, and in response to the needs of the people, behold: they’ve found some funding for some policies. Housebuilding promises to lure the younger voters, dressed up with starter grants? And if not actual child benefit reform, then further tinkering with Universal Credit that will miraculously negate the two-child cap disgrace without adding monetary heft. Beware Greeks bearing gifts! You can fool some of the people some of the time but really, all of us all of the time? Who knows? When you’re desperate, maybe.

It is quite obvious that Labour cannot square the circle. Change is required, but Labour are offering a change of government without actual change. Labour are not the change that Scotland needs, independence is.

I’m wondering how we get that message across more successfully than in the immediate past.

Selma Rahman
Edinburgh