A GROUP of Labour politicians from across the UK have announced the formation of a "radical" alliance which will campaign for “wide-ranging” reforms of the UK state.
At an event organised by the think tank Our Scottish Future in Edinburgh, five Labour leaders from England, Scotland, and Wales announced the creation of the Alliance for Radical Democratic Change, which they say will make calls for a more equal and cooperative Union.
Gordon Brown, who set up the think tank, will speak alongside Anas Sarwar, Andy Burnham, Tracy Brabin, Mark Drakeford and the comedian Arabella Weir at the “Stronger Scotland, Better Britain” event in the Tollcross area of the city.
They say that the new alliance will demand an end to Whitehall centralisation, better cooperation between all levels of government, and more powers for cities and regions across the UK to help them boost economic growth.
In a joint mission statement they said: “There is a UK wide demand for change. We recognise the urgent need for working together – locally, regionally, and nationally across the UK – to reform our constitution so we can deal with the current economic and social challenges faced in every area of our country.
“To that effect we are creating the Alliance for a Radical Democratic Change to implement wide-ranging proposals for the reform of the UK – to end the centralisation of power in Whitehall and Westminster, to devolve effective economic and social powers to the regions and nations, to make our cities and regions centres of initiative for full employment and good jobs, and to ensure coordination between all levels of government to achieve a fairer greener and wealthier Britain, in which each nation and region enjoys the respect it deserves.”
Other leaders from across the political spectrum are being encouraged to join the alliance.
It comes six months after the publication of the Labour Party’s Commission on the Future of the UK, which was chaired by Gordon Brown.
The commission backed reforms such as abolishing the House of Lords and “deeper” devolution to the cities and regions of the UK.
Our Scottish Future was recently given the lowest possible transparency rating in an investigation conducted by openDemocracy.
Journalists at the site found that the organisation publishes no information about its donors.
Alba Party general secretary, Chris McEleny, said that Scots had no reason to believe Brown's promises.
“Gordon Brown seems to forget that he was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor for a decade before that," he said.
“In 2014 he backed the Better Together Vow, when in power he didn’t seem to make creating a less corrupt and more democratic Britain a priority so why should he believed now?
“Simply put, the only way for Scotland to reject the Westminster system of Government, and to create a nation re-established on a written constitution that enshrines rights for all, is to regain our independence as an immediate priority.
“The irony of many Scots will not be lost on a gathering of Labour Party leaders calling for a more democratic UK when they are all opposed to the people of Scotland’s democratic right to determine the form of governance that best suits us.”
