Report back from out Compass Scotland launch event June 8th in Glasgow. Speakers included: Baroness Ruth Lister, Patrick Harvie MSP (Leader of the Scottish Greens), Esther Roberton, (recent coordinator of Scotland Constitutional Convention) Sarah Boyack MSP, Ann Henderson (Scottish Trades Union Congress) Robin McAlpine (Director Jimmy Reid Foundation), Daniel Johnston (Chair Scottish Fabians). Sarah Beattie -Smith and Katherine Trebeck (Oxfam)
As Compass re- launches across the UK as the pressure group for the politics of a ‘good society’ an event in Glasgow last week showed the demand for spaces, physical and political for people to plan for a good society. On what was probably the best summers day in Glasgow for several years an unusual gathering of political clan members including Greens, Labour , Social Liberals, Socialists SNP members and those from no party shared their ideas of a Scottish Good Society.
We discussed the Reid Foundations, Common Weal project a quest to understand the transformation from our current political economy to a ‘Nordic Plus’ model . We heard from Oxfam Scotland on the Human Kind Index an alternative metric to measure progress towards a good society. Speakers from STUC, Bright Green and the Fabians had more to add. There was a wealth of ideas and contributions as to what can be done.
We all seem to agree that a Scotland of equality, of meaningful work and pastimes, of more carefree time and greater bonds of fellowship and friendship are what we need . And the policies around fairer taxes, reformed public services, good jobs, a better way to measure success than growth where outlined in detail.
The question now is not what but how? And Compass is making some proposals on this question .
The forces that shaped the current economy in their interests are too big and too powerful to be changed by one political party or any one section of society . Elements of Civil Society, Trade Unions, Churches , Labour, Lib Dems, SNP are insufficient alone but become necessary together and connecting with the single issues campaigns such as UK Uncut and Occupy are a further part of the jigsaw . Such unity requires a different type of politics not a politics of ‘no clans’ but of open ‘open clans’ – open to each other and sharing values rather than competing for personal power.
We currently have a contest between Westminster and Holyrood to convince the Scottish people that power retained, devolved or accrued at their respective parliaments are more likely to create the framework for transformation to a good society. Both have so far fell short of the task . Independence versus ‘more devolution’ is clearly a question of risks and opportunities. If Compass Scotland along with others can make the independence question be ‘what type of Society do we want?’ rather than who can best manage a failing economic model then the risks and opportunities will be seen more clearly.
I thought this event was very refreshing and would welcome this discussion being brought to the wider Referendum debate over the next year. I personally think the YES/NO debate to date has been uninspiring but this event helps to focus minds on what kind of society we really want here, and how best we can achieve that. If Scotland does gain independence then what will be the point if we just replicate the social inequalities that define and are necessary for current Tory, Lib-Dem, Labour and SNP political strategies. There must be a better way and open discussions like this day will certainly keep me engaged and active over the year ahead. Thanks to Compass for organising this groundbreaking start which will hopefully be the first of many such events I can go to.
I am sorry I was unable to attend your event but cheered to note that it was a success.
My anxiety re the whole Referendum debate is being conducted on a closed agenda, basically we can be independent but we are still a monarchy we will use another country’s means of exchange the existing civil apparatus will administer our tax and benefits system and we will still be part of the EC……. what EXACTLY are we buying into.
As I see it, admittedly I am an old crank, there has been no mention of a Scottish Republic, no mention of undoing our serfdom under a millenium of Norman Conquest, being out of the EC seems not to be an option, and there is absolutely no mention of a publicly owned Scottish Central Bank.
I have no problem with the installation of President Salmond but the existing party system is a crock of S*** and fails as a model for democracy we are a free people and deserve first class representation signing ourselves up to another colour of Ruler is insanity we deserve better, make sure the next years debate is robust and all encompassing