Election is not just about the referendum, says Martin Bartos
The following letter from Martin was published in today's Herald:
Let's move on from the referendum issue. Surely the main parties' positions are pretty clear? The SNP, surfing what we all know is an unpredictable anti-Labour/Blair sentiment rather than a reliable pro-independence vote, has toned down referendum rhetoric with a sedate 2010 timetable, though it will probably call it whenever it thinks it might win it - that is, the next Westminster election.
New Labour, masters now of the "if you don't vote Labour the sky will fall in" tactic, sees the referendum issue as a big, bad bogle to scare its voters to stick with the party; certainly it scares its English MPs, for whom independence would mean a long-term opposition.
Scottish LibDems, whose log-book shows they change tack in the slightest breeze of votes, seem to be calculating that ex-Labour votes may blow their way if they're seen to fight the bogle before the election; they can always gracefully negotiate afterwards if the SNP turns out to be their next executive partners.
Where is the voice of the old Scottish Tories? Perhaps they are ambivalent, unable to countenance divorce from their new man, young David, but still nursing the scars of Scotland's abuse by the 1980s Westminster Conservative government. With their English MPs resenting the Scots Labour MPs, both sides of the border may secretly yearn for a split.
Finally, contrast the Greens. Their position springs not from the identity politics of nationalism or from political expediency. Instead from principles that value localism balanced by internationalism. The Greens favour civic engagement in a devolutionary process, not diktat by politicians. Unclouded by political noise, a standalone referendum (however many options) would help clarify the Scots' own wishes and a "no" vote wouldn't give the Greens an existential crisis.
Sitting as we do at the edge of a global climate precipice, with a society whose future cohesion needs progressive thinking on energy, transport, health, education, social justice and so on, there are more pressing political priorities than talk of a referendum. Aren't there?
Dr Martin Bartos, Scottish Green Party candidate, Byres Road, Glasgow.