The Point

Last updated: 27 June 2022.

Scottish Socialist Unity - Back to the Future

In an article that is sure to be controversial, George MacDonald, Co-Chair of the Highlands Socialist Alliance, writes bluntly about the need for socialist unity in Scotland

In 2011, the existing members of Solidarity in the Highlands, exasperated at the lack of progress in the process towards the re-integration of the Scottish socialist movement decided to take matters into their own hands and, together with some ex-SSP members and non-aligneds, formed the Highlands Socialist Alliance.  This was not a decision which was taken either lightly or indeed spontaneously.  Ever since the break-up of the Scottish Socialist Party in 2006, following Tommy Sheridan's libel case against News of the World and the subsequent internecine warfare which resulted from that action, we in the Highlands and Islands had consistently argued that the re-establishment of a united socialist party was of over-riding importance, not just to the activists within the movement, but also to the ordinary working class Scottish citizens we claimed to represent, and whom, in all honesty, we totally failed in our internal mud-slinging zeal. 

Who benefited from that stupidity?  No-one.  What cause was served by our continued obstinacy in trying to promote two "different" socialist parties?  None.  More to the point, has anyone learned any lessons from this debacle?  Is there a substantial group of people within the leadership of both Solidarity and the SSP who are prepared to bury the hatchet and look forward to a future free from internal strife?  If not, then the electoral lessons of the last six years should serve as a reminder that the people of Scotland have passed their verdict upon ‘the left’ - they consider us to be basket cases! 

In election after election we have presented them with a bewildering array of "socialist" alternatives, against which we asked them to entrust their vote - SSP, Solidarity, TUSC, No to EU, yes to Democracy, SLP, and so on ad nauseum.  Confused?  Never mind the electorate, so are most of our activists!  Add to that list the SWP, the CWI, the United Left and the Peoples' Front of Judea and all you have is a recipe for disaster. Can anyone explain to me how a socialist from one faction differs from a socialist in another in any of the fundamentals?  No?  I thought not, in the final analysis it all boils down to mistrust, sectarianism, hatred and jealousy - the very traits which we socialists should be striving to eradicate!

So, how do we proceed?  In the Highlands at least we are quite clear about this - our new organisation is open to all comers - socialists, greens, SNP activists, left-leaning Labourites, trades unionists, environmentalists, people with no particular axe to grind or single-issue campaigners - we welcome them all so long as they are approaching us from a left of centre viewpoint.  And we're having a certain amount of success.  The people of the Highlands are welcoming of a movement which is non-sectarian and which does not put any emphasis on a narrow view of Marxism or socialism or any other ism.  Rather, they have responded to an approach which is open and welcoming and places an emphasis on campaigning on issues which affect the local populace rather than nit-picking over who belongs to the most righteous brand of socialism. 

And to me, that just about sums up socialism in Scotland in the last 6 years - the struggle of the "righteous" at the expense of the activists.  In a way it reminds me of the titanic disruption which took place within the Scottish Presbyterian Church which began around 1560 and ended - some time in the future.  How long does a socialist bear a grudge?  What happened to forgive and forget?  Some people may consider this article to be full of naive and well-meaning platitudes, and can have no significance in the current situation.  If so, I find myself in the comforting situation of being in the same exalted company as the following "lost causes" (not a complete list, by the way, before yez all get on yer high horses)

The Declaration of Arbroath
The Magna Carta
The National Covenant
The American Declaration of Independence
The French Revolution
The Chartists
The Communist Manifesto
The Paris Communes
The Russian Revolution
The Easter Uprising
Mahatma Gandhi
The Cuban Revolution

The whole point of this article is to suggest a new and different way forward - and to invite suggestions from grass-roots comrades who are as pissed-off as I am to submit their ideas and opinions, and thus bypass the entrenched leadership of the movement. It is my considered opinion that the vast majority of people reading this piece don't give a shit about the theoretical or philosophical differences of opinion between the CWI and the SWP, couldn't care less about the tiff between Tommy Sheridan et al and Frances Curran et al, but do care an awful lot about how we can take steps to make Scotland a better country where we can make giant strides towards liberty, equality, justice and happiness. None of which are dependent upon the existence or otherwise of the Womens' Movement, or the Gay and Lesbian Front, or the Palestinian Solidarity campaign ......etc etc etc. 

This is not in any way intended to diminish or denigrate any of these worthwhile causes, but rather to suggest that they can exist within the movement without being given special rights which transcend the rights of the ordinary grass roots membership.  To put it bluntly - one member, one vote.  No special platforms, no special networks, no special "parties within the party", but that the whole organisation should be based upon the geographical branch organisation, and a membership of equals.

In effect, what I am arguing is that the broad socialist movement in Scotland should go back to reconstituting itself as the Scottish Socialist Alliance, concentrate on campaigning on issues which affect the people of Scotland and forget about standing candidates at any election unless and until we can come to an agreement that any unified party will agree to the proposals outlined above.  I can already hear the cries of anguish from people who have spent their entire adult political lives promoting their own particular brand of socialism - well, brother/sister, have I got news for you - your "enemies" in the opposite camp were doing exactly the same thing under a different name.  What have you achieved by being "different"?  Hee-haw in my opinion.  Care to enlighten me?  Or anyone else within the movement?  I very much doubt it.  Socialism in Scotland is crying out for a leadership which will unite it under one flag - the red flag of socialism, irrespective of petty political differences.  Who is going to be big enough to stand out from the crowd and declare "Forget the past - let us grasp the future"?  

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