The Campaign for Socialism* is calling on the Labour Party Leadership in London to allow the Scottish Labour Party executive to manage the Falkirk by-election process. This follows reports that party officials intend to produce a new short list of candidates. The CfS accepts and supports the case being made by Unite that they have not been allowed to see, never mind address, the allegations made in a report to the National Executive of the Labour Party.
Paul McFarlane, Secretary of CfS, said:
“What makes this issue all the more frustrating for the rank and file of the Scottish Party, particularly those on the left, is that only recently were Neil Findlay MSP and Drew Smith MSP offered positions in the shadow front bench team in Scotland. Both MSPs are known as strong supporters of the STUC’s Better Together Campaign and the People’s Charter. It seemed at last that we (Scottish Labour) may have been beginning to put some clear red water between ourselves and the SNP. However, following on from Ed Balls and Ed Miliband’s reconversion to austerity, this episode looks more like a co-ordinated rear-guard action by those on the right of the party who are intent on severing Labour’s relationship with the trade union movement. This cannot be allowed to happen.”
NOTES*
The Campaign for Socialism was set up in 1994 to campaign against the removal of clause 4 from the Labour Party’s constitution. Since then it has campaigned for democratic renewal and socialist policies for Scottish Labour through events and its journal, The Citizen. http://www.thecitizen.org.uk. It is currently heavily involved in promoting the people’s Charter and campaigning against the bedroom tax. Its convener is Elaine Smith MSP.