There are a few things in life I’ll never understand – people’s love of cheese, the film career of Zack Snyder, Celtic letting go of Craig Gordon.
And Scottish Labour’s approach to Scottish Independence.
Labour in general have been acting weird lately and IndyRef2 is only going to make them weirder.
In their UK-wide format under Keir Starmer they’ve adopted a somewhat haphazard approach to fence-sitting.
Where they sit on all the wrong fences.
Starmer wants to appear neutral
On the controversial Spycops and Overseas Operations bills, which many believe raise grave human rights concerns, Labour whipped their MPs to abstain.
To sit those issues of severe moral importance out. To get on that fence and stay there.
Seemingly comfortable on their wooden perch they tried to adopt the same strategy to RMT rail strikes by instructing frontbench MPs not to join picket lines for the days of industrial action.
Keir feared the act of attending could be misconstrued as having an opinion on such matters – and no party with a serious expectation of leading the country can be seen to have an opinion on things that might matter (apparently).
Of course, usually fence-sitting is frowned upon.
It can be seen as weak, indecisive, even as a dereliction of duty – after all, politicians are elected to make difficult decisions on our behalf.
But sometimes fence-sitting can be the smart play. To just wait and see what unfolds.
Which brings me to Scottish Labour and IndyRef2.
Scottish Labour can sit on IndyRef2 fence
Anas Sarwar and his party don’t really need to get involved – but they have.
Where Starmer should have got off the fence, Sarwar should be jumping right up on it.
Instead, he’s trotting out ‘not the time’ soundbites that put his party firmly in the No camp, alienating everyone of a Yes persuasion.
It can’t be lost on Scottish Labour that the disappointing results they’ve seen in recent elections has coincided with the rise of the SNP’s popularity. Of Scottish Greens’ popularity.
There is undoubtedly support for independence among some traditional Labour voters.
So why risk pushing them further away?
"Isn't she using… the promise she made to lead us through the recovery, to instead pit Scot against Scot?"
ScotLab leader Anas Sarwar says Nicola Sturgeon is pursuing a referendum that two thirds of Scots don't want.
Live updates ➡https://t.co/b00Nh4vRfO pic.twitter.com/wTROStTaFk
— BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) June 28, 2022
The SNP and Tories drew their battlelines back when they named their parties – Labour didn’t.
They have an opportunity here to take a step back and be morally vindicated in doing so.
They don’t even have to shy away from the difficult questions.
Scottish Labour should forge ahead with their own vision of the future
You can be perfectly reasonable and say the Scottish people have a right to vote on their self-determination without backing Yes or No.
All you’re stating is that you believe in basic democracy.
And having said that, refuse to campaign for either side – let the people make their own decision.
If Scotland does vote for independence, Sarwar can say congratulations and start trying to win back his lost traditional voter base.
If Scotland votes to remain in the UK, Sarwar can say congratulations and ask his lost traditional voters to help him defeat the Tories at Westminster.
He can’t do either if he backs No now.
And with the seeming disharmony in UK Labour’s ranks among the centrists and left, it might suit Sarwar to show Scottish Labour are willing to forge ahead as a party with their own vision of the future – either as part of an independent Scotland or the UK.
Conversation