Dan McCurry: Labour’s Scotland problem shows it is time to become the party of the south

David Cameron won a general election by persuading southern England that Labour would be a pushover for the SNP. On winning, he then lavished on Scotland a settlement so generous that it provides each Scottish citizen with 10 per cent more spending than each English citizen, even though Scotland contributes 10 per cent less to the UK economy.

So when Nicola Sturgeon promised an end to austerity, she certainly delivered it. She promised lower taxes and higher spending and she delivered on it. She promised that London would pay, and she delivered on it. And when she told the French ambassador that she hoped David Cameron would win, she meant it. She knew that David Cameron would pay to keep the SNP in power, because that would keep the Labour party out.

By creating a second parliament, we created a mechanism for Scotland to stuff England, by pitting one party against the other. This didn’t create the politics of left versus right, but purely a politics of self-interest. Imagine if Manchester voted for Manchester, and Cornwall for Cornwall. Each on the same promise of less tax, more spend, and make London pay. To present this as socialism is an insult to socialists.

Back in the 80s, the Scots protested against the policies of Thatcherism. They got paid off. Then Blair came along and they protested against him. He also paid them and gave them a parliament. The Tories paid them off then they had a referendum and Westminster was desperate to stop them leaving, so once more they got paid off.

Labour is too sensitive to Scottish protests. It’s our nature to believe we are at fault for not working hard enough or not understanding the needs of the people. We accept without question when we are told, “You are not left-wing enough. Your past leader is a warmonger. You stood alongside the Tories” on an issue we agreed with.  

Huge numbers of seats in southern England are natural Labour seats, but go to the Tories because the southern voters believe Labour to be the party of the north. A strong Labour leader would win over those voters by demonstrating that they have been deceived. The Scots have, on average, less healthy lifestyles yet a Scottish patient would get an operation quicker than an English patient because David Cameron arranged for a massive subsidy for Scotland, in order that his mates can keep their Government jobs.

To Labour, the Scottish voters have proved to be unreliable. To southern voters, David Cameron has proved himself, yet again, to be a slippery and sly chancer, who takes the south for granted.

The Scottish believe that Labour will return whenever they snap their fingers, but there has always been a trade-off between south and north. If Labour were to beg for the Scottish vote, then we would lose the opportunity to gain the southern vote.

If Labour were successful at rebuilding relations with the south, then the Tories will respond by promising to cut spending to Scotland. Massive scrutiny would follow this promise. The SNP would then be in difficulties because the two main parties are so busy proving they are not playing the SNP game. In that case, Nicola Sturgeon’s day job will be all about imposing cuts. Whether the Scottish people will continue to love the SNP in that situation remains to be seen. In my view they won’t, because when dealing with the Scottish, it is all about funding.

It’s time to become the party of the south.