On Remainers working with the SNP
There is a worrying potential for a split within the pro-European movement that does need to be addressed with some urgency. For a while now, the SNP have been seen as an automatic part of the pro-EU coalition for a few simple reasons. First, they have genuinely pro-EU policies. Second, their strength in Scotland makes them near-indespensable. Third, most of the rest of the Remain movement is based in England and so largely unconcerned by the Scottish dynamics of collaboration between various unionist parties and the SNP.
However, it is in this last area that we have recently seen a notable shift. The election of Jo Swinson as leader of the Liberal Democrats means that now one of the other parties of the Remain Alliance is led by a Scottish politician. This has thrust the fractures within Scotland over the question of independence right to the forefront of the pro-European group's internal politics.
As a Scottish unionist, Jo Swinson has naturally had a number of run-ins with the SNP. The perspective of unionist Remainers in Scotland with regards to the SNP is very different and greatly removed from that of English Remainers in a way that too few in the latter group seem to really appreciate. There is of course an instinctive reaction in England to prioritise cooperation around Brexit as an 'existential' issue, but we should not forget that Scotland is split by a question that is equally as existential and which would in its own way define the UK's future.
With the Scottish unionist voice now given much greater prominence in the pro-European camp, there is a growing debate over whether it is wholly appropriate to work with the SNP. Many would likely conclude that they would prefer to do without the SNP entirely. In full transparency, I myself have never been convinced by the idea of a 'progressive' Nationalism and do not support the SNP's goals.
However, if we are to secure the UK's place in Europe, we need to be clear-headed and ruthless about the facts. The reality is that it's very difficult to see any path to success which does not involve collaboration with the SNP. Their strength in Scotland means that they hold a significant number of seats and it is simply not realistic to imagine that this strength could be overturned in any reasonable timeframe. It is not impossible that Remainers could get away without cooperation in Scotland but equally well, a scenario where every seat counts cannot be ruled out either.
Fortunately, it is possible to work around the conflict on Scottish independence but we need two qualities within our movement for us to be able to effectively work together. First, we need to be open about our disagreements and accept that, for the short-term at least, these perspectives will remain distinct but that hostilities will be suspended. Second, there needs to be greater respect of the fact that loaning each other voters is actually quite a big commitment. The fear from unionists is of course that if they endorse tactical voting for the SNP, the SNP will soon enough turn around and claim those votes as a mandate for their pro-independence agenda. This is not an unreasonable concern for unionists to hold and while there is a strong argument for unionists to put their concerns aside, in building this alliance the SNP also have a responsibility to allay those worries and to separate their pro-EU and pro-independence platforms.
It is also worth considering that not even every seat in Scotland would require cooperation between Remain parties. A number are either safe seats for the SNP, the Liberal Democrats or marginals between the two. But for those where the Tories are well placed to win, cooperation is more vital now than ever before. Avoiding a split, focusing only on those areas that really need an alliance and keeping out the Brexiteers should be the priorities. It is doable but will require a generosity of spirit from all sides. Let us hope our politicians are up to it.
Image via Flickr
However, it is in this last area that we have recently seen a notable shift. The election of Jo Swinson as leader of the Liberal Democrats means that now one of the other parties of the Remain Alliance is led by a Scottish politician. This has thrust the fractures within Scotland over the question of independence right to the forefront of the pro-European group's internal politics.
As a Scottish unionist, Jo Swinson has naturally had a number of run-ins with the SNP. The perspective of unionist Remainers in Scotland with regards to the SNP is very different and greatly removed from that of English Remainers in a way that too few in the latter group seem to really appreciate. There is of course an instinctive reaction in England to prioritise cooperation around Brexit as an 'existential' issue, but we should not forget that Scotland is split by a question that is equally as existential and which would in its own way define the UK's future.
With the Scottish unionist voice now given much greater prominence in the pro-European camp, there is a growing debate over whether it is wholly appropriate to work with the SNP. Many would likely conclude that they would prefer to do without the SNP entirely. In full transparency, I myself have never been convinced by the idea of a 'progressive' Nationalism and do not support the SNP's goals.
However, if we are to secure the UK's place in Europe, we need to be clear-headed and ruthless about the facts. The reality is that it's very difficult to see any path to success which does not involve collaboration with the SNP. Their strength in Scotland means that they hold a significant number of seats and it is simply not realistic to imagine that this strength could be overturned in any reasonable timeframe. It is not impossible that Remainers could get away without cooperation in Scotland but equally well, a scenario where every seat counts cannot be ruled out either.
Fortunately, it is possible to work around the conflict on Scottish independence but we need two qualities within our movement for us to be able to effectively work together. First, we need to be open about our disagreements and accept that, for the short-term at least, these perspectives will remain distinct but that hostilities will be suspended. Second, there needs to be greater respect of the fact that loaning each other voters is actually quite a big commitment. The fear from unionists is of course that if they endorse tactical voting for the SNP, the SNP will soon enough turn around and claim those votes as a mandate for their pro-independence agenda. This is not an unreasonable concern for unionists to hold and while there is a strong argument for unionists to put their concerns aside, in building this alliance the SNP also have a responsibility to allay those worries and to separate their pro-EU and pro-independence platforms.
It is also worth considering that not even every seat in Scotland would require cooperation between Remain parties. A number are either safe seats for the SNP, the Liberal Democrats or marginals between the two. But for those where the Tories are well placed to win, cooperation is more vital now than ever before. Avoiding a split, focusing only on those areas that really need an alliance and keeping out the Brexiteers should be the priorities. It is doable but will require a generosity of spirit from all sides. Let us hope our politicians are up to it.
Image via Flickr
Comments
Post a Comment