It's a great privilege to close this debate for Scottish Labour, so I want to start by paying tribute to everyone who has engaged in the Land Reform process.
Any success of this Bill to diversify land ownership in Scotland is the collective effort of everyone who responded to the consultations; everyone who provided expert advice and evidence and everyone who challenged the Scottish Government to make this Bill count. And I know that work will continue, because it must

Just  in case you hadn’t noticed, the British left is in a bit of a mess at the moment.
While Keir Starmer’s faction is trying to throttle the life out of the left in the Labour Party, the broader left remains divided on critical issues like the war in Ukraine, trans rights, Scottish and Welsh independence and the EU, despite the nearly 10 years since the Brexit vote.  

There has long been a single truth to Scottish politics — trust must be earned close to home. With the Holyrood elections fast approaching, Scottish Labour had a clear strategic choice to make.
The party north of the border is now ready to earn that trust — not by simply echoing others, but by leading with clarity, ambition and pride.

This article is based on a talk given by Pauline Bryan to the Scottish Labour Campaign for Socialism AGM on 20th September on Your Party and its implications for the Scottish Left.

​No sooner had the announcement that the membership portal of Your Party was now open, than an “Urgent message” from Jeremy Corbyn was circulated telling those prospective members who had signed up to cancel their direct debits. This was followed by the MP, Zarah Sultana’s admission that the relevant emails did not have the dual authorisation of both herself and Jeremy. 

“Mercedes Villalba MSP said: If Labour are to see off the threat posed by Nigel Farage, our Party desperately needs a Deputy Leader from the left. That candidate is Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP. She’ll listen to grassroots members, not corporate lobbyists. She’ll challenge the leadership, not kowtow. I would encourage Scottish Labour members to write to their MPs, urging them to nominate Bell — for an ambitious programme of popular, progressive policies.”

Offering his support Brian Leishman MP said: “The Party needs a strong voice from the left as Deputy Leader. Someone who will represent the politics and opinions of the rank-and-file grassroots members who want to see us govern by real Labour values. @BellRibeiroAddy would be that Deputy Leader.”

Pauline Bryan editor of the Red Paper and former colleague of Bell’s in the Socialist Campaign Group said “Bell was central to the activities of the Socialist Campaign Group. She has taken the correct position on every issue since becoming an MP and has been unwavering in support of the socialist cause.”

 Peter Duffy secretary of the Scottish Labour Campaign for Socialism said: “I am delighted at this point, when Labour needs a serious debate on  so many things – Gaza, immigration, welfare, wealth taxes, public ownership, that we have a candidate in Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP who is prepared to listen to members and speak our truth to power.”

Katie Clark MSP added: "I have worked with Bell over a number of years and know she will be a strong principled voice for members. We need a candidate who will speak for working class communities, against benefit cuts and austerity, and for Gaza. Bell is that candidate."

Carol Mochan MSP said: "Bell would be a breath of fresh air for @UKLabour and provide a socialist perspective at the top table. During a growing cost of living crisis and the hate spread by Reform we have to show the country our party is open to all with a platform based on tackling inequality."

Announcing her decision to stand Bell wrote:
“I am standing to be Deputy Leader because I believe this Labour Government urgently needs to go back to the guiding values of our party and movement, and deliver an ambitious programme of popular, progressive policies.

We can offer hope and a vision to rebuild Britain after decades of neglect, and take on the politics of hatred and division. If Labour carries on presenting itself as a pale imitation of Reform, then millions will conclude that Reform must have all the answers.
Instead of blindly following Treasury orthodoxy, we need to tackle poverty and inequality through wealth taxes and scrapping the two child benefit cap.

We can show leadership on the world stage - opposing the genocide in Gaza, ending arms sales, and introducing sanctions against Israel. The absurd and authoritarian proscription of Palestine Action must end immediately.

Internally, the Labour Party needs to return to its best traditions of open debate and tolerance of dissent, starting with restoring the whip to the 7 Labour MPs punished for voting with their consciences
These are the values that drove me to join the Labour party, as with so many parliamentary colleagues, party members and affiliated trade unionists. It is these values I represent in this contest.”

Look at the polls. Look at the by-elections. One after another, like the imperial chimes of Big Ben, they toll out the end of Starmer’s days. Recently, on August 15 in the South Jesmond (Newcastle-upon-Tyne) by-election, the Greens took the seat from Labour. Labour’s share of the vote dropped by around 25 per cent. On the same day in the Grangetown (Cardiff) council by-election, the Greens took another seat from Labour. Once again Labour’s share dropped by around 25 per cent. Indeed, the Green Party has taken eight seats in all from Labour this year in England and Wales. But just before you break out your vegan champagne, bear in mind Reform have taken 35, more than four times as many.

​I want to ask two questions in my short contribution.
First, how did we get into this economic mess where the so-called leadership of most of major parties think it is acceptable to cut welfare, but increase military spending?
And secondly why do those leaders believe that spending on defence is in any case,  somehow a good thing?
The answer to both these questions lies in the management or more accurately mis-management of the Scottish economy.