Jeremy Corbyn is going to formalise his "Independent Alliance" of MPs and, alongside Zarah Sultana, work on a new party on the left of British politics.
It's a big move. Polling tells us that such a party could cost Labour up to 10% of their vote. Corbyn, nearly six years after announcing he'd quit as Labour leader, still has significant influence over and pull among UK leftists.
With widespread anger over how the Labour Government has handled issues like Gaza, disability cuts, the two-child cap, Waspi women, and NHS England reform – all part of the party's general move rightwards under Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney – it seems likely that disenfranchised left-leaning folks could be won over by a new outfit.
But what it means for Scotland is especially interesting.
Recent polling tells us that Scottish independence is supported by at least half of the population. At the same time, the link between independence support and SNP voting intention is broken. The SNP are polling in the low 30s, struggling to regain the highs of three years ago despite this shambolic Labour Government limping along from week to week.
We've seen from a number of elections now that the SNP voters are just not that motivated to get out and vote. Different people I speak to inside the party and out offer various explanations. Operation Branchform removed trust, John Swinney isn't enthusing the electorate, there's a lack of vision being put forward, disappointment over the SNP going quiet on Gaza, and, most commonly, independence isn't on the agenda.
We know basically nothing about Corbyn and Sultana's new party. We don't know its name or who it will entice into its fold. However, thanks to Govanhill-based poet and writer Jim Monaghan, we know there is a "Scottish secretariat" – basically a working group looking at how to set up this new project north of the Border. According to Jim, Corbyn's policy will be that he wouldn't stand in the way of independence, and members and representatives would be free to advocate for a Yes vote should they wish.
Looking ahead, I think this poses a new challenge for the SNP – and the Scottish Greens – particularly with young Scots who are outraged by what they have seen play out in Palestine.
I am 27. I have friends and peers from various backgrounds, but many of them not really political. They care deeply about Gaza and are, to say the least, absolutely infuriated that the UK establishment hasn't done more to stop Israel's actions. The message from Corbyn and Sultana is one that resonates. Angus Robertson's meeting with the Israeli ambassador (which we still don't have meeting notes for) does not.
Young Scots are also extremely concerned about climate change and how it will impact their futures. Seeing the SNP move increasingly towards a pro-oil position, after years of Nicola Sturgeon pledging no new drilling, does not impress.
The SNP have lost some support to the Greens, while other supporters have given up on the whole democratic system altogether. While I wouldn't want to predict the fortunes of a new party I'm currently fairly in the dark about, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think Corbyn and Sultana's apparently indyref-friendly, pro-Palestine, climate-conscious outfit could pose a new threat to Swinney's ailing team. Especially when they don't have concrete proposals for delivering independence for Scotland.
As Labour leader, Corbyn's plans for England always sounded familiar. Free tuition fees, free prescriptions, nationalised water and rail, etc … that's just SNP policy. What was presented in the English tabloids as radical, extreme, 1970s socialism, is already in place north of the Border. The long-serving MP has been criticised for failing to acknowledge that – and like most London-based leftists is often accused of "not understanding Scotland". With those in charge of Corbyn's project largely within the confines of the M25, this could be a major hurdle for them to overcome in courting Scottish voters.
Whatever happens, we've already seen how the British media is going to treat this new party. On social media last night you could hear the guffawing of the Westminster reporters as rumours emerged that Corbyn wasn't happy with how Sultana announced the move. This out-of-touch, smug attitude from those at the top of the media food chain is exactly what will propel people towards an alternative party like this.
by Jonny_Anonymous
20 comments
Nothing really
Giving left leaning unionists a voice would be pretty good for the Scottish gov. I will never say no to better representation of political stance.
There has been a gap in the market for a genuine, out and proud socialist party since Sheridan’s ego spontaneously combusted, taking the SSP with it. I’m not sure if this is it or even if this is even a new party. All the chatter about it is very Anglocentric though so…
I suspect though the Green Party of E&W will be worried…
If they get their act together in time I would consider giving them my list vote.
I see Labour in Scotland is as invisible to the writer as it is to the voters.
Another unionist party basically
I think they’ll struggle in Scotland. The Scottish Greens are explicitly already a party of the left. So there simply isn’t the same extent of gap in Scotland as there is in England.
I think also the number of people who are socialists who are at the same time so strongly unionist that they’re unwilling to support the Greens is probably quite small.
It won’t mean anything really, as Laura states most of his position is already SNP policy, and where is this move towards pro-oil? I’d be more worried if I was Anas who now would face Reform taking the right sided voters and Corbyn’s party taking the left sided ones.
Fuck it, 7 party parliament it is (8 if Alba weren’t so inept)
I think it could be a handful of MPs next election but struggle to see the appeal beyond Corbyn personal brand that’s been fading since 2017.
It’s got to compete with a much more crowded left of centre field than before – Greens, Plaid, SNP and the Gaza Independents/Galloways outfit
I want a proper left wing in this country, however, I have greater confidence of the possibility of that within an independent scottish parliament
Paid for by Russia obviously
Absolute unity between all Indy focused voters. Not one of them came from a frustration with the erosion of socialism in the Labour Party. This will be costly for Scottish Labour but not for the SNP at all or ALBA- Right?…..Right?
Considering he doesn’t seem keen on Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish sovereignty/independence. He will struggle around the colonies… I mean countries.
Low fruit aside, I dont care much for him. Pretty weak leader and while he is clearly the good guy, I can undertook how little he got done, how little he stood up to the Tories, how little x y z.
He better get more passionate and less limp d*****.
It will mean nothing except even more certainty of a Reform government (as will the current vogue for the Greens in England) by splitting the vote in Northern constituencies, because of the laughable nature of Britain’s neo-authoritarian managed democracy.
It will simply give a more formal name to the independent group as they are ignored – insofar as they are not alternatively smeared as “antisemites” in the mass media and so on, just as Corbyn was as leader.
It’ll mean the UK gets a Conservative or Reform government for the foreseeable future. Although, not that it’ll be much different from the Labour government we have now. (Can’t quite believe how far to the right they’ve jumped….and just when everyone finally had enough of the Conservatives running the country into the ground.)
Corbyn’s party is just gonna divide what remains of the Labour vote and ensure a government of asshats for everyone. No independence vote for Scotland then. ….Good news Everybody …fml…🙄
I think it’ll help the SNP tbh. They’re smart enough to know holyrood is too contested mostly, and they are very angocentric at the moment.
In westminster, in 2029, the SNP are set to surge. The SNP would probably be the largest party in westminster that’d be an ally for Corbyn – and Corbyn would probs see the SNP as a soft-ally in return. Not as much as greens, sldp and plaid obvs.
I suppose if you want an Israel-bashing, vaguely pro-nationalist, anti-oil party – why wouldn’t you just vote for the Scottish Greens? It’s not like this mob have competence or credibility to fall back on.
The only good thing that might come out of this is it might drag the labour party back to the center/center left if they see the vote share start to move away from them, currently the only political drag is reform, but they’re playing to a generally (not only though) older demographic.
Another party set in London, this time, they are slightly better than the other candidates. I think I’ll stick to my Scottish parties.
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