Johann Lamont’s resignation this morning opens up the possibility of a new future which Scottish Labour desperately needs. Its very survival is at stake. It is an opportunity to declare the independence of Scottish Labour from Westminster, which it must do if it can again lead the Scottish people to a future that is in the best interests of its people. If it fails to do that, there is no doubt that the forces of nationalism will triumph over socialism in Scotland. It is an opportunity to reject the politics of the Collins report and the Falkirk fiasco, and to put trade unions once again at the heart of Scottish Labour, which must become the voice of Labour again. Over Falkirk, the Westminster leadership, egged on by Progress, completely bypassed the Scottish leadership. Unfortunately it paid the price of leading from London in the disastrous rise and rise of the SNP that followed. The trade unions have half the votes at Scottish conference. And worse still, as Lamont reveals in the Daily Record this morning, the Westminster leadership this week removed the Scottish party general secretary, Ian Price, without even consulting the Scottish leader, which it has no power under the rules to do. The trade unions has 50% of the votes at the Scottish party conference and should retain 50% of the votes in a leadership election. Now is the time for the working class to assert itself in the Scottish Labour Party. - Jon Lansman, writing on the Left Futures blog: leftfutures.org/2014/10/as-lamont-resigns-only-the-independent-voice-of-scottish-labour-can-win/
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 08:02:18 +0000