27-04-2025
Labour in danger of being marginalised in Scottish politics, says new book
A new book from a group of Labour trade unionists, politicians and activists has warned that the party is in danger of being marginalised in Scottish politics. 'Keep Left, Red Paper on Scotland 2025' says Scottish Labour will remain on the fringes unless it dares to be different from the Westminster Government. It comes as Labour trails the SNP in the polls despite winning two thirds of Scottish seats at last year's general election. Labour peer Pauline Bryan - who edited the book - said: 'Tragically many of the severe problems that were written about in the original Red Paper of 1975 continue to impact on Scotland today in particular - a lack of genuine democracy, the centralisation of power and the dominance of overseas companies, contributing to a politics and economy that serves an ever wealthier elite. "We are being failed by the UK and Scottish Parliaments . This book looks to set out a radical alternative to address this, so that power, wealth and opportunity are redistributed, unshackling workers and communities to build a society for the many, not the privileged few.' The book calls for radical policies to be brought in to transform Scotland. It argues that the country facing a political, democratic and economic crisis which is likely to get worse if Reform gains momentum. The book comes on the 50th anniversary of Gordon Brown's original Red Paper on Scotland. The former Labour prime minister tried 'to transcend that false and sterile antithesis which has been manufactured between the nationalism of the SNP and the anti-nationalism of the Unionist parties'. The new book says this is the only way of sorting the social and economic woes which the country is facing. It brings together campaigners , a comedian, a poet, music lovers, politicians, trade unionists, academics, film makers, history writers and history makers to address key themes. These include poverty, the crises in our public services and the criminalisation of working class young people. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here
