A constitutional project for Labour

IT is no surprise that Sir Keir Starmer, as leader of the party that believes above all else that “we achieve more by our common endeavour than we achieve alone”, does not support a deal with the SNP which would lead to Scottish independence. Likewise, it is a matter of historical fact that no CLP or affiliate has brought a proposal for such a deal to Labour Party conference at either a UK or a Scottish level: in other words, the party membership does not want it.

However, it is also worth heeding the words of Dan Jarvis MP, the directly elected mayor of South Yorkshire, who recently said about immigration that “if we do not talk about a subject, our opponents will dominate the debate”. This has very much been the case with Labour and the constitution, with successive leaders since Gordon Brown having nothing worthwhile to say: Ed Miliband was negligent in the extreme in not confronting the dangers of 2014 , and Jeremy Corbyn was not interested full stop.

It is essential that Labour must have a strong case to argue on the constitution so as to be able to seize the initiative back from the tired old arguments of the SNP and the Tories. The only logical place to start is where we are, and the project should therefore be based on a New Act of Union, setting out the benefits of UK membership to its citizens, and also define under what circumstances secession from the Union might come about. Such an act could also define relationships between the nations and regions of the UK, the role and composition of a replacement for the House of Lords, all underpinned by electoral reform at Westminster.

Such an act would catch the imagination of the majority on Scotland who reject independence, and of those who support a radical new political settlement for the whole UK. It would in short, be a vote winner.

Peter A Russell, Glasgow.