Solidarity and Independence: thoughts on Corbyn in Scotland

The Yes Movement has to find common cause with Corbyn in those areas where there is agreement and an opportunity for progress, and agree to disagree in others.

The left wing critique of Scottish Independence has relied heavily on the idea that the Union is a mechanism of working class solidarity which would somehow be impossible otherwise. But it is not, and never was, a case of "either/or" with respect to Independence and Solidarity. In fact Independence and Solidarity march side by side. This is our chance to show that meaningful solidarity is not only possible, but once unimpeded by the exploitation encoded by the Union, more likely.

The false dichotomy of Independence or Solidarity is exposed by Yes voters who support Corbyn. The workers of Leith more easily raise an Independent voice in support of the workers of Liverpool because it means they no longer have to wrap their tongues around New Labour's neo-liberal shibboleths.

Independence means our allegiance is to ideas, not policies, and fellow feeling is unfettered by squalid accommodations made at Westminster.

It is precisely because the Yes Movement has released the energy and created the sophisticated, engaged and informed electorate in Scotland, whose equivalent is now seen among Corbyn supporters in England, that this is possible. As Lesley Riddoch has observed in today's Scotsman, these are the English voters who wanted to know how to join the SNP in the run up to the general election in May, and have finally found an English anti-austerity equivalent available to them in the form of Corbyn.

In her maiden speech Mhairi Black articulated the widely held sense of frustration with Labour by comparing "weathercocks," that point any way the wind blows, to "signposts," which remain true regardless of temporary expedient. Corbyn is the latter, his opponents and critics the former. In her speech she exhorted Labour to "oppose, not abstain". Again, Corbyn seems to be ready to step up to the mark. Corbyn is Labour that the SNP can work with.

The worst case scenario? Corbyn fails to secure the leadership of Labour as the contest descends into a shambles and Labour is utterly discredited for a generation. Under these circumstances the Yes movement can hold its head high knowing that at least it tried to achieve common objectives in a constructive manner and will escape the wreckage without taint or injury.

Or Corbyn succeeds, but even a reinvigorated Labour Party capable of meaningful co-operation with like minds on the SNP benches remains ineffective. At least we would know we tried, and failed through no fault of our own.

The best case scenario? Corbyn succeeds, and, together with the SNP, Plaid Cymru and others, successfully participates in the frustration of a doctrinaire and destructive Tory regime. This does not demonstrate the redundancy of Independence, any more than getting what you wanted in a restaurant for once demonstrates you should always let your partner order from the menu for you.

What is does demonstrate is that Solidarity is not only possible, indeed it is more likely to succeed, because of, and not despite, the Independence movement, which has liberated 56 seats from the grip of Corbyn's opponents and populated them with MPs more able to pursue a progressive agenda.