Come on Labour – embrace indy

YOU report that John McDonnell, UK Labour’s deputy leader, has called for a “radical federal UK”. I welcome McDonnell’s apparent enthusiasm for the substantial devolution of power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, we’ve heard similar commitments before, most notably from Gordon Brown before the September 14 independence referendum; we all know how little of his vow was delivered. And already, Jeremy Corbyn has expressed considerably less enthusiasm for devolution than his deputy and his party’s Scottish leadership.

McDonnell’s “radical federal UK” appears to involve the Scottish Parliament having power “over all legislative matters except foreign affairs and defence”. If that is indeed what he means, a neater and better model would be a fully independent Scotland that enters into pacts with other nations, for example through Nato and the European Union.

So come on Labour, you’re nearly there. Commentator after commentator has advised that your best hope for survival in Scotland is to lift your gaze, look around, and throw in your lot with the independence movement. With your support, we can get on with the task of building a modern, outward-looking, socially just Scotland. You know it makes sense.