henry mcleish former labour first minister

Theresa May is a walking soundbite, anointing the privileged few selected to meet her handful of hallowed slogans and contempt of democracy.

Maybe that’s all she needs to do to win, so stay low and say little. On the other hand, after seven Tory years is there anything on offer?

Is there a record of achievements to sell to a volatile and questioning public? Maybe not, underscoring the fact that this presidential approach has resulted in the word conservative virtually disappearing from Theresa May’s battle bus.

Voters are being asked to give her their blessing and a blank cheque for Britain’s future.

There is no such problem for Labour, whose leader has nothing to lose by being bold and being everywhere and offering a manifesto that addresses the problems of a disunited kingdom, where inequality, the underfunding of health and education, the excesses of the market, injustices in the workplace, lack of fairness in society and the delusional and fanatical embrace of Brexit are holding Britain back.

This time round, the manifesto, with many excellent policies, is unlikely to produce a Labour victory.

The manifesto reminded me of a Bernie Sanders rally in Colorado, where the base was fired up, the policies relevant and some of the ideas radical, but the policy and emotional blitz lacked an all-embracing narrative or modern story, a vision of a different tomorrow and credibility.

Labour’s manifesto has the same weaknesses.

In politics, radicalism, respect and relevance are essential for electoral success, but even more important is credibility.

Much of this manifesto is a progressive platform for the future and a basis upon which to build electoral support.

The deputy leader of the Labour Party, Tom Watson, has talked about having a mountain to climb to achieve victory.

Continuing this analogy, a victory this time round looks unlikely but, emerging from the foothills, a base camp has been secured by the Labour party from which a push to the summit looks more possible next time round – especially if the Brexit train crash arrives before the next election.

This will also provide more time and more evidence to expose the Tories, whose reckless behaviour, inept handling of national finances, right wing thinking, cheap patriotism and a numbing indifference to the plight of the poor and the low paid, should see them crashing to defeat on June 8: but instead they seem to be heading for victory and maybe a landslide!

In Scotland, similar issues of confidence and credibility lie at the heart of Labour’s decline, but two other factors have gained importance in recent years.

First: Scots question who or what the party stands for.

Deep and enduring ties have been shattered, decades of loyalty have disappeared and people are genuinely perplexed as to how the party has fallen so far behind and so quickly.

The party needs a creed – a set of beliefs and aims – not doctrine.

Second: the party must re-engage with the constitutional question by easing its opposition to a second referendum.

Instead the party could hold out the prospect of an alternative way forward – a federated structure for the UK.

Labour in Scotland can take a lead from the UK manifesto – be bold but be credible with a more imaginative approach to the constitution.