SNP the Only Centre-Left, Pro-Independence Voice
With manifestos published and numerous public debates and hustings, at the tail end of the General Election campaign it’s clear that the only party committed towards independence in Europe is the SNP.
The result in England has long since been known, and with the vast majority of the Commons seats lying south of the Border, we know there will be a Labour government.
It is only in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where there are any serious electoral contests – the parts that Westminster claims to care about but conveniently forgets. Voters here are facing the choice of whether they simply want another Westminster voice in their constituency or Scotland’s voice in Westminster. The SNP will always stand up for Scotland’s interests, and that means also standing up for Scotland’s independence back in the European Union.
A noticeable feature of this campaign so far has been the collective omerta from the Westminster parties around the impact of Brexit.
Their vow of silence would be laudable if the subject were not so disastrous. By refusing to consider the Brexit factor, they will fail to diagnose many of the problems facing the UK, let alone find solutions.
The National Institute for Economic and Social Research estimates that the UK economy is already 2.5% smaller than it would otherwise have been.
Some estimate that the impact is much higher, but even taking this low conservative estimate means £69 billion has been wiped out from the economy. That’s £28bn less in tax revenues which could have been invested in public services.
Throw in the fact that whoever is in charge down south, the Institute for Fiscal Studies warns they will oversee an additional £18bn in cuts to public services. Having suffered more than a decade of Tory austerity, there is simply nothing left to cut without permanently damaging vital services people rely upon.
The best policy to address this crisis would be to simply re-join the European Union – or, at the very least, the single market and customs union.
But the Tories, being the architects of Brexit, cannot admit their big idea failed. The Liberal Democrats simply want to re-join at some point but now is not the time.
For the future party in charge of the UK? The hypocrisy is even more damning by Labours’ commitment to remain wedded to the Conservative monster of Brexit.
So long as the Westminster parties wilfully ignore the impact of Brexit then Scotland will suffer – no amount of Scottish Labour, Tory or Lib Dem MPs will change that.
In every seat in Scotland, there is only one party committed towards independence in Europe which can also win under the outdated First Past The Post system: the SNP.
In Scotland we saw what EU membership did for our country: Economic growth, reversing depopulation, infrastructure investment and global opportunities for people in Scotland to make a better life for themselves both here and across the continent – all of these were the benefits of EU membership we once had and can have again.
As confirmed by the IFS, rejoining the EU could see an increase in public revenues of £30bn a year. That’s money that can be invested in our NHS, our schools and communities.
The risk is not independence in Europe but sticking with a UK that is moving further and further to the right – and that’s before Farage and his Reform pals enter the Commons, as they are expected to do.
In the next parliament, the Conservatives and Reform will provide the far-right opposition to a right-wing Labour government. If you want a centre-left voice who will ensure that Scotland is heard and independence remains on the agenda, then vote SNP on July 4.
