Latest news with #Corbyn-Sultana
The National
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Will Corbyn seize the moment, just like I did when I saw him?
It was obvious I was eyeballing him, ignoring his two companions and the other customers who were studiously minding their own business, not in the least interested in the window-seat occupants. I was carrying a rucksack. Did that add to the barista's looks of apprehension? I stepped forward, stuck out my hand, introduced myself, congratulated him and launched into it. READ MORE: Jonathon Shafi: Meltdown over Jeremy Corbyn's new party exposed their fear Labour betrayal, Palestine, Scotland, independence. We had a long chat, me apologising in case the coffees were going cold: they were. He introduced me to his two companions, both local councillors. I could have been a disgruntled local about to assault him, even just verbally. But he had time to engage and it wasn't forced, not polite for politeness' sake. He seemed genuinely interested. We talked commonalities and differences. He asked about Scotland. I spoke about Edinwfi (cursing that I didn't have any of our leaflets!), I mentioned The National (honestly!), decried the BBC, talked up the grassroots movement, and when I left him and his councillors to their cold coffees (maybe the relieved barista reheated them) I felt, what? Enthused, energised, but very glad I'd seized the moment. And now, has he? Seized another moment? After all, he's no stranger to making the headlines. Maybe he was bounced into public acknowledgement by that earlier announcement from Zarah Sultana, and some do say they might have been better to wait and organise the 'professional launch ' of a new political party. Their opposition have already done their best to dismiss this as a disorganised movement, not a party to be taken seriously: just the cult of Corbynism #2. Really? Labour may try to spin this as 'evidence' of how Labour has changed, rebels out, but one year on, don't we live how it's changed? Changed to the detriment of the weakest in society: cowardice in the face of a genocide: supplicant to the USA and their unfettered support of Israel. So what can this party offer as the failures of Labour take root and Reform digs in? READ MORE: Insider lifts lid on workings of Corbyn-Sultana project in Scotland Will it attract left-wing supporters, looking for their idea of 'change'? Number-crunchers have highlighted MPs including Cabinet members with slim majorities, glossed over in last year's first-past-the-post victory. Corbyn, Sultana and their colleagues have the years before the next General Election to organise, identify policies, talk down claims of only ever being in opposition, never having to actually deliver. Or would they and Reform become nothing more than spoilers gnawing away at Labour and Tories? But it isn't just the left wing in England desperately seeking change, is it? Corbyn has pronounced on independence, and I don't just mean to me over cold coffee. The National notes the presence of a 'Scottish secretariat' for the new party. So was that opportunism, or pre-planning? It's too early to speculate, but it just might be possible the newbies have no aspirations in Scotland, and would put support and solidarity behind indy supporters standing against the last of empire and its colonial stranglehold. Or would they be reminded of those billboard ads of Alex Salmond with a diminutive Ed Miliband in his top pocket? On reflection then, whatever else, this is an interesting mix in the pre-planning for 2026 ... and we are planning for 2026 already, aren't we? Selma Rahman Edinburgh
The National
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Launch of Corbyn-Sultana party has big implications for Scotland
Well, actually, it is. He can always be found getting up to something diabolical, but there's something else. Something the left has been crying out for is finally happening. Former Labour outcasts and arguably the most credible socialist voices the Labour Party has had to offer in recent years – Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana – are starting their own party. I have half expected a new Corbyn era for some time now, particularly since the Tories were ousted and Starmer made it clear that he wasn't going to let his electoral victory get in the way of the continuation of their miserable agenda. It also makes perfect sense for Sultana (below) to be Corbyn's partner in this move as she has been an unshakeable voice for the left despite being treated like a pariah by a party that, if it had any sense or eagerness to win future elections, would embrace the kind of politics she represents. The two-party system in Westminster is broken beyond hope, particularly for the left now that both major parties are undeniably off to the right. In that regard, it's great news for the political left who are facing the rise of the far-right and a Nigel Farage premiership without any solid left-wing antidote in Westminster. It's a matter of necessity at this point, with any hope Labour used to represent being well and truly obliterated. But what does it mean for the SNP? The answer is that it absolutely does have the potential to be difficult – or alternatively, a massive stride in the right direction for the independence movement. A new Westminster party might not sound like a major threat to the SNP's electoral dominance in Scotland – and it might not be. READ MORE: Labour should look to Scotland for reforms their MPs might support I imagine it will depend largely on two variables, the first being how the SNP leadership respond and whether they will finally embrace a less careful and centrist position than they have been of late; and whether the new Corbyn-Sultana offering will be a welcoming political home for independence supporters. From what has been emerging in the past few days, though, it sounds like the latter is increasingly likely to be the case – and it would be a smart political move for them to make if they were to make it. The SNP's appeal to progressives, independence supporters, young people and anti-Tory voters has been the key to their success, particularly since 2014. But this new party isn't being born out of nowhere. We're in the depths of a severe disillusionment with establishment politics and a fear of what lies ahead if we fail to meet the threat of the far right where it demands to be met. The left's disillusionment far from ends with Labour and the SNP are going to have a problem on their hands if the leadership continue to fail to inspire going forward. The Scottish independence movement has been grumbling in the background for quite some time now. Alba, in a completely different way, were another offshoot of the same problem for the SNP – disillusionment. Granted, with Alba there was a distinct sprinkling of right-wing narratives and political differences that emerged from an unsustainably broad independence support within the party. But that disillusionment was still a factor, and it's rearing its head again in a way that is a far bigger problem than Alba ever have been. Nicola Sturgeon's (below) departure rocked the party to its core, it was always going to. Humza Yousaf did his best with a bad situation but ultimately didn't have the time to embed that he needed to achieve what he was capable of; and now, with John Swinney back at the helm, the steadying of the ship has veered a little too far into a centrist bore-fest for those hungry for change. Enter an unapologetically progressive alternative headed by a man whose policies were incredibly popular in Scotland and a woman who has demonstrated a political courage Scots tend to reward; and factor in its potential support for Scotland's right to choose our own constitutional future – and therein lies a massive problem for the SNP leadership. Of course, all of this is still speculative. The new party doesn't even have a name yet, let alone a decisive position on Scottish independence, but even in its infancy, it does seem to be inspiring hope among those on the left who have been missing it. With that being said, this isn't quite a coronation. There's, typically speaking, a long road between forming a party and winning seats. But times are changing fast. It was just a short time ago that we thought Farage winning seats in Scotland was nothing other than a hate-encrusted pipe dream, and yet, here we are. It's also very true that this new party could help the independence movement and might even have the potential to break the deadlock it's currently stuck in. If it successfully attracts left-wing voters, particularly in England, who either don't engage with independence or remain opposed to it, and if it helps to push the idea that independence is a democratic necessity rather than a battle between opposing nations, that could be the breakthrough the movement has been crying out for. A path to the cordial divorce we long for – an outcome that frankly isn't going to be the result of a Starmer-Swinney centrist showdown. Though Corbyn and Sultana are well-positioned to make that argument if they're smart about it – and everything points to the likelihood that they will be. Independence as a concept isn't enough of a radical left policy on its own and the SNP are relying a little too heavily on the monopoly they have over independence supporters. READ MORE: David Lammy hands taxpayer-funded Foreign Office job to Labour donor The party's caution and lack of momentum under Swinney and Kate Forbes on issues that matter to the left is going to hinder support for independence within its ranks, even if Corbyn and Sultana don't come along and fill the void with big, radical ideas. And even if their new offering chooses not to support independence, the prospect of a genuinely socialist government in Westminster poses the threat of some independence voters turning away from the cause. It is a difficult line for this new left-wing offering to tread, though. Independence isn't a particularly popular policy south of the Border and ultimately, that's where they need to make ground if they're going to pose a credible threat to Farage and Starmer. And if they fail to support it in Scotland, this idea could be written off here as quickly as it began. But given both Corbyn and Sultana's commitments to democracy and progressive politics more generally, I think there's definitely room for them to tread it successfully. Things are broadly uncertain, but one thing is for sure – if the SNP aren't going to act like the party of hope and transformation, another one is going to, one way or another.
The National
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Corbyn-Sultana party clarifies Scottish independence stance
Jim Monaghan is a member of the steering group Collective Scotland which is tasked with setting up the as-yet-unnamed party north of the Border and previously told The National it would be open to 'candidates and members' on both sides of the constitutional debate. He has now clarified the Corbyn-Sultana project's stance, saying: 'We're so far away now from having a position on that.' He added: 'When that party launches, which I'm expecting to be later this month, will be the start of us getting serious in Scotland and finding out who the members are when they join and trying to get, we're looking at the end of August before we get any real meeting of what will be the new party in Scotland and until then, we don't really have a position other than we are happy to take part in the coalition, electoral alliance talks in Scotland on that basis, on the basis of supporting a referendum.' Monaghan (above) said that in his initial interview with The National, he had been setting out the constitutional stance of another organisation he is involved with, the Left Alternative. This is a coalition of small, left-wing parties in Scotland including the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), the Socialist Workers' Party (SWP) and the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition (Tusc). READ MORE: Insider lifts lid on workings of Corbyn-Sultana project in Scotland It will also be constituted as a party for the 2026 Holyrood elections, according to Monaghan. He said: 'It's not really [that] we're starting two parties.' There will be the Corbyn-Sultana project which will eventually become a party, he explained, and the Left Alternative coalition. (Image: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire) The latter must be constituted as a political party and registered with the Electoral Commission to contest elections, Monaghan argued. 'The Left Alternative idea is several parties,' he said. 'The Collective as it's known now, or whatever the new Corbyn party's called, will be one of several parties who'll be part of this electoral alliance but they will be a party in their own right as well. Going forward in the future, after the 2026 elections, as to what strategy is taken forward in Scotland after that we're way, way, miles, we're not even discussing that.' He added: 'It's not as if we're forming two parties; we're forming a party and our party is going to join an electoral alliance that will have to, by law, register as a party for the election.'
The National
09-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Octopus Energy boss slams UK Government zonal pricing snub
The Energy Security Secretary has allegedly binned plans to introduce zonal pricing, which Octopus Energy has repeatedly claimed could have given Scots some of the cheapest electricity in Europe and boost the economy. The scheme would have split the UK into regions based on local supply and demand, meaning Scotland would likely have benefitted enormously due to an abundance of renewables. The UK Government has said it will not comment on reports it has branded as "speculation". Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, has been a prominent campaigner for introducing zonal pricing, having constantly highlighted how windfarms are often paid not to generate energy because they are built where there is insufficient grid. READ MORE: What is the point of Octopus Energy's wasted wind tracker? On the back of the latest reports, he tweeted: 'Britain's broken energy system. Companies built windfarms where there's no grid and you pay them to not generate. 'Soaring costs, locked in for years to come, and more on the way. 'It's not good enough to sigh. Something must change. It's brutal for families and crippling for growth.' Jack Richardson, head of policy at Octopus, accused the UK Government of 'capitulating' to lobbying from major generators. He posted on Twitter/X: 'Taking zonal off the table against the advice of NESO [National Energy System Operator], then doing loads of complicated, costly stuff to try to get the benefits of zonal pricing, shows the government knows zonal is the right thing to do but it is capitulating to all the backstage lobbying.' Octopus Energy has recently launched a "wasted wind" tracker to show the public how much billpayers' money is being spent on turning off windfarms. Ed Miliband has reportedly abandoned plans to introduce zonal pricing (Image: PA) According to the energy provider, constraint costs have hit almost £700 million already this year. Despite claims from opponents that zonal pricing would turn the UK energy market into a postcode lottery, analysis showed earlier this year that households in Scotland will already be paying more for electricity in the next year than those living in London. Consumers in north Wales and Merseyside will pay £120 more than households in London for their electricity over the coming year, Cornwall Insight forecasts, while those in the north of Scotland will pay £96 more than those in the capital. The differentials stem from variation in the charges levied on bills to fund the upkeep of Britain's 14 regional electricity distribution networks, which are regulated by Ofgem. Zonal pricing could have cut the cost of renewing and updating the country's electricity grid by billions. READ MORE: Insider lifts lid on workings of Corbyn-Sultana project in Scotland A report by FTI Consulting predicted overall savings of £52 billion for consumers over 20 years, while another, which was commissioned by Octopus, found the UK would need to spend £27bn less on major grid upgrades in the future. Former Alba MSP Neale Hanvey said: 'Under the 'broad shoulders of the UK', Scotland is being robbed of our vast energy wealth while handing exorbitant profits to the big energy companies. 'Our people are paying up to three times as much for energy as they should as Ed Miliband abandons 'zonal pricing' plans.' Former MP Angus MacNeil accused Labour of 'short-term thinking' and called for Scotland to be in control of its own energy policy. He said: 'Scotland is a net exporter of electricity, yet energy bills in Scotland are higher than anywhere else in the UK. 'Zonal pricing was a modest, common-sense reform that would have recognised Scotland's role in powering the UK and brought long-overdue fairness to our bills. 'By caving to pressure from the energy giants and abandoning a policy that would have incentivised clean energy use in the right places, Labour are undermining their own climate agenda. It is short-term thinking at its worst. 'Scotland deserves better. We deserve control over our own energy policy, one that puts the needs of our communities first, not last. It is clear the only way we can do that is by becoming an independent country.' When asked for comment, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it does not comment on 'speculation'.
The National
09-07-2025
- Business
- The National
SNP urge Rachel Reeves not to 'clobber' Scots with Isa cuts
Reports have suggested Rachel Reeves could announce the measure next week, dropping the threshold from £20,000 for cash individual savings accounts (Isas). Suggestions of the shift have raised concerns among banks, while consumer finance expert Martin Lewis claimed it could match up to other unpopular decisions taken by the Labour administration in the past year, including the cut to personal independence payments (Pip) and the winter fuel payment. SNP economy spokesperson, Dave Doogan, said the move could 'clobber' 1.3 million people in Scotland who have cash Isas. READ MORE: Insider lifts lid on workings of Corbyn-Sultana project in Scotland 'Rachel Reeves seems determined to make this Labour Government one of the least popular in history with its austerity cuts and tax hikes hitting every part of society and leaving families worse off,' he said. 'First, the Labour Party went after pensioners and disabled people with their winter fuel and disability cuts, then they went after farmers and small businesses with their tax hikes, and now they are coming after millions of hard-pressed families who are simply doing their best to save for their futures. They are totally out of touch. 'People are sick to the back teeth of this Labour government making it harder for people to get by. 'Under Keir Starmer, Brexit Britain is already suffering from soaring living costs, poor wages and a personal savings crisis. 'The UK Government should be helping people not launching another Labour Party tax grab – and dipping their fingers into people's life savings. 'This blow to savers is already proving to be deeply unpopular with voters and, as consumer champions like Martin Lewis have warned, it could be another winter fuel and Pip level controversy for millions of families who are angry with this out-of-touch Labour Government.' Research commissioned by the SNP by the House of Commons Library on the issue found 30% of Scottish adults reported having a cash Isa. Those accounts, as of April 2022, have a total market value of £52.7 billion, an average of £32,917 per account.
