Tribune – news, features and comment from Britain's left-wing magazine

by Cary Gee

WENDY ALEXANDER, the beleaguered leader of the Scottish Labour Party, tried to get back to the business of opposing the SNP this week.

She held meetings in London with Scottish Secretary Des Browne to discuss Alex Salmond’s blueprint for Scottish independence, the so-called “national conversation”, and to put in place plans for an alternative commission.

The commission, which has the support of Scottish Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, would provide an “expert-led, independent review of devolution”, but not consider the issue of full independence for Scotland. It would instead look at giving more powers to Holyrood.

However, this shows that Ms Alexander is not prepared to adhere strictly to the “status quo or bust” policy that has existed since the process of devolution began.

Despite all three main opposition parties agreeing that the time is right to review devolution, the SNP claims the commission offers “no ideas, no policies and no future”.

Meanwhile, Ms Alexander told MSPs that the commission offers Scots “the chance to walk taller without walking out” and attacked the national conversation, saying the SNP had already decided upon the “only acceptable outcome”.

Annabel Goldie, leader of ther Scottish Tories, who two weeks ago called on Ms Alexander to resign, voted for the commission and accused the SNP of “tearing up our constitution and ripping Britain apart” and said that the SNP did not have a monopoly on Scottish patriotism.