What to make of Scottish independence?

Firstly, I can’t believe that when Cameron said he wanted the issue settled once and for all that he ever contemplated that he may go down in history as the PM who lost yet another former colony a sort of 21^st Century Lord North.

I’ll now like to think of Cameron rather like Monty Python’s Black Knight with bits and pieces being chopped off.

One interesting aspect of this two and a half year process is that it didn’t get interesting till the establishment thought there may be a chance that Salmond may win. Then there was a choice; then there was passion. 97% of Scotts are registered to vote. Perhaps it’s the lack of any real choice that produces turnouts of less than 30%

If there is a YES vote then the resulting arguments amongst the Scotts will be portrayed and negative infighting by the British media – it’s inevitable and a sign of a vibrant democratic process.

All the various groups who blamed their lack of power on “London” seem to have invested independence with all their hopes and those Labour, Socialist and generally left wing voters who gave their votes to the SNP to keep the Tories out will no longer feel any need to support a party wishing to cut corporation tax.

Lessons for the Labour Party

There is a momentum away from the Westminster/neo-liberal consensus. Mrs Thatcher when asked what her greatest achievement was replied, “Tony Blair.” UKIP floats on this momentum and has made unthinking racism respectable (is thinking racism respectable?). When people look around and see their communities changed beyond recognition the people who controlled the forces that shut down manufacturing and found it more profitable to produce those goods abroad don’t get the blame – they don’t live round here – it must be the Rumanians fault.

Labour have to talk about power internationally, nationally and locally. Who has it and how do you get it.

• Talking about TTIP would be a good place to start this conversation.
• How to privatise the NHS by stealth would be another good topic – they’ll know a lot about that.
• How to keep Railway fat-cats well fed on subsidies – they know a lot about that too
• They need to explain that no private provider brings more money in to public services than they take out – that’s not how it works.