Today is the first day of the future. But don’t worry. So is
tomorrow.
For so long, this has been the implication of our politics,
and for so long this is what we have grudgingly accepted. No more. From this
day, this hour, this moment, we are to begin to make strides to a better state
of affairs.
The seismic nature of the Scottish Independence Referendum
has finally triggered genuine introspection. From this, I believe we can draw a
huge amount of hopeful activity to shake up the status quo that so clearly dissatisfies
the vast majority.
Just look at the turnouts in Scotland. It is nearing 90%. No
General Election has come even remotely close for over 20 years. This debate
has vitalised and engaged its electorate, and haven’t the rest of us in
England, Wales and Northern Ireland felt somewhat envious?
Huge numbers of us, be us Labour, Liberal, or Tory, Plaid
Cymru, Democratic Unionist, or Sinn Féin have identified with the grievances
and frustrations that Scots have had the fortune to be able to express, and many
of us have also felt this for quite some time. Enough is enough.
It seems ridiculous to me to suggest that a disunited
Britain benefits any of us. The capacity that comes from pulling together our
immense resources can generate so much good. However, having travelled across this
country, met people from many backgrounds, and experienced the huge levels of
division that live and breathe every day in this land, it seems equally
ridiculous to me to suggest that Westminster is the best place to generate
policies that can benefit both London and Lanarkshire, both Guildford and
Grimsby.
It is a source of immense pride that we live in a country
that celebrates difference: a nation that seeks to find and fortify unity,
rather than impose it from above. However, we should acknowledge that a
consequence of that is that the needs of different parts of the country vary
hugely from one to another. Local areas are the best informed to make their own
decisions about their own needs.
We can unite, we should unite, we must unite on the things
that are most important to us. We must unite for our mutual security. We must
unite in order to continue to run one of the best International Development
funds in the world. We must unite to pursue good whenever we can in
international relations. For that we need to be together. Nevertheless, I do
not think that the concerns of the Home Counties should dictate the governance
of Glasgow, and I think that that is a two-way street.
Of course, the situation is more complex than that, and I
cannot convey in a relatively brief blog post how I would propose to deal with
the ins and outs. However, I have no doubt that it can be comprehended and conveyed.
For too long, bold and brilliant ideas have been shot down as “too risky”, “too
costly” and, worst of all, “too difficult to implement”. These are not
sufficient arguments. To believe that they are is a failure to engage. Playing
it safe has left us with a populace who are disaffected, disheartened and
divided. This must stop, and now is the time.
I dream of a politics where the people feel empowered: where
we can debate and feel like we can make a difference. I dream of a nation where
we can see the everyday suffering that rock concerts don’t raise funds for, and
think that we ourselves have the means to effect some positive change to rectify
it. I dream of a politics defined by its people, inspired by its people, and
valued by its people. I believe that this is within reach.
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