29.08.1996

Referendum rebels

Self-determination, not a talking shop for Scotland

Labour’s proposed referendum for a Scottish parliament continues to hog the political limelight north of the border. In a party not used to open debate in recent times, this issue looks as if it will haunt Labour up to and after the next general election.

The ‘single question’ rebels are pushing the leadership hard. The next round of their battle with Blair, Robertson et al is at Saturday’s meeting of the Scottish Executive, where they are looking to get a majority to replace the two-question referendum with a single question.

The rebels have raised the stakes by producing a pamphlet in defence of a single question, which they have sent to MPs and the 39 members of the Scottish executive. The four authors are leading members of the party in Scotland: Bill Spiers (STUC deputy general secretary), Bob Thomson (party treasurer), Margaret Curran (leader of the Women’s Caucus) and Ian Smart (Scottish Labour Action).

They condemn the leadership for changing party policy and reinforce Clare Short’s accusations of “dark forces” surrounding Tony Blair and his shadow chancellor, Gordon Brown. Their document claims that Brown’s office leads the drive for a separate ‘tax varying’ question on the ballot paper. This was done in response to Michael Forsyth’s ‘tartan tax’ taunts which contradicted Brown’s ‘no new tax’ pledge to middle England.

The sharpness of this contribution to the debate seems to have startled the Labour hierarchy. Rather than taking on the argument, George Robertson and his trusty lieutenants are more concerned with rubbishing their dissenters. This is at a time when Labour Party members are supposed to be involved in the consultation process of deciding what goes into the election manifesto.

At the time of writing, the balance of forces within the Scottish executive is unclear. Some waverers may be convinced that loyalty to the leadership and election victory at any price is worth more than defending your principles. Whatever the outcome of this contest, the Labour Party’s referendum is not offering the people of Scotland genuine self-determination. The democratic deficit will only be overcome when the Scottish people have the right to decide which powers to retain and what their relationship with Britain and the rest of Europe will be.

Nick Clarke