PUNDITS and the less wise like myself appear to feel the need to tell the SNP to change, or we’re reminding them of the value of the beneficial changes brought in by the Scottish Government. But isn’t it a bit too late all round?
Lesley Riddoch’s superb article last week demonstrated just what change Labour can’t bring here. Labour are Johnny-come-latelys, catching up with our already embedded social and economic change. Those were hard fought for, and are now so “everyday” that they’re taken for granted and no thought is given as to which government enabled them. What a paradox, then, that the already limited power of Holyrood is under threat more than ever before from this pumped-up Labour government and its trumpeted “mandate”.
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There are some crazy stats going around regarding the General Election.
No matter the stats, we can’t detract from Labour’s first-past-the-post win. But surely no government should be able to win such a big seat majority and obtain the right to govern on such a minority share of the vote. With that in mind, It’s a good job the next electoral test for Scotland will be 2026, since it’s obvious that first-past-the-post is not a system designed for small parties and their small constituencies. Fifty-plus MPs in Westminster didn’t ensure independence within first-past-the-post, so fewer than 10 isn’t a death sentence.
One take-away from this election is that voters aren’t fixed in their beliefs, political party choice, or loyalty. In Scotland, did voters return to Labour just to get the Tories out, or do they have a belief in Labour’s ability to provide so-called change? And across the UK, how will that change be delivered in view of the Tory legacy and Labour’s little difference from Tory practices? And more importantly, what part of this “change” will be positive for us? Many Labour MPs have relatively small majorities, with the political opposition snapping at their heels. Those majorities have been split between three, perhaps four other parties, so that need to deliver change gains even more traction. But waiting for Labour to fail isn’t sufficient, is it?
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For the indy movement, we’ve always said that we needed to change the mindset and win over of the soft Nos, the undecided. There’s no excuse, voters are persuadable and we all – political, grassroots – have failed to change minds for a consistent 50%-plus pro-indy, never mind returning a majority pro-indy election vote.
Now, more than ever, we see that voters can and do change from previous patterns, and with 2026 already in the political headlights we should begin to see an overlap between the different pro-independence parties. There will be aspirations identified, policies talked of, even the identification of route maps.
In the D’Hondt voting system surely we have to make it work by voting tactically combined with presenting policies: reminders of successes past, present and the future potentials, all culminating in reasons to vote pro-indy. A vital ask for 2026 should be careful public engagement between the various pro-indy parties, and their acceptance that tactical voting works when there’s a shared understanding of priorities, and the placing of Scotland before egos. There is no time to waste, no time to lick wounds. Have they started, reviewing, assessing, designing and planning on how to engage better than before?
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2026 is the chance for the fight for independence to win back its pre-eminent position. But politicians and their parties can’t and won’t progress without the grassroots. For all of us there is neither the luxury of time nor space to retreat into some comfort zone like “Labour can’t deliver, Labour will fail, so voters will return to the fold”. That ain’t going to happen.
For me though, yes, I do need change, because what I’ve been doing the last ten years in the grassroots roots obviously hasn’t worked. I’m just wondering what that change will look like. Is there a need for cohesion across the grassroots? Would that fall under one umbrella to Believe in Scotland? What role for Salvo? Or is it a mistake to think of “the” movement? But if we’re to change minds and develop commonality across Scotland for what the independent future could look like, we need to engage way beyond our current reach and well before the act of voting.
Bringing this together will take time and a platform. I’ve banged on about a national convention before … so tell me why I’m wrong and just what is the better alternative?
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
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