SO the referendum’s done. The people — a huge proportion of them — have had their say. 

The count is over and the result is in. And it is a clear result — a significant 10 per cent gap between those wishing to remain with their fellow UK citizens and those wishing to become citizens of an independent Scotland. 

That’s it then, isn’t it? 

Well, subsequent debate and analysis, not to mention conspiracy theories, threats of political and other types of retribution, suggest that the debate is far from over. Indeed, perhaps it has just started.

That being the case, it is surely an ideal opportunity for those of us on the left to grasp this thistle and advocate the “fairer, socially just Scotland” that the STUC’s Grahame Smith pointed to in his recent contribution to the debate. 

To quote him further, “There is much to be won for working people through union leadership of the debate … [on devolution across the UK].”

However, the left has also been fractured by this debate. Many activists with similar aims chose different sides in the increasingly bitter war of words. 

Some, clearly still stinging from the result, have chosen to draw their wagons into a circle and exclude others. 

How do we break down the barriers that have been raised? 

Can we use the opportunity that the massive engagement of new activists has offered — and it is clear that this engagement benefited both sides of the constitutional divide — to bring in fresh campaigners? It surely is our duty to try.

Ostensibly, we have some things in our favour. Most people on the left, whichever vote they cast, made public their view that it was not for nationalism of either sort but for their estimate of the best way to tackle austerity, poverty and to challenge the economic orthodoxy. Now we must call on them to stick by that commitment in the new landscape.

We won’t do it by language of exclusion — on either side. 

Attempts to “put the constitutional issue back in its box” or conversely “wreak revenge on the unionist parties” — or more practically in Scotland, the Labour Party — won’t sign a single opponent up to a joint “socialist, anti-austerity, equality, Just Scotland” platform.

But we won’t do it by platitudes either. Parties on the left — or indeed those aspiring to be, either through numbers or politics — need to put forward clear and achievable policies to tackle poverty, social exclusion and inequality. 

We should be the engine to drive those policies through all relevant parties.

There are potential allies. The Scottish trade unions, via the STUC, are ideally placed to have a major impact. 

As Smith has pointed out, their analyses of the three major economic and social issues thrown up by the referendum are rightly respected, and must form the basis of discussions.

But we need to accept there will be a range of groups out there. The grass-roots debate and discussions started by the Yes campaign won’t go back in their box. 

These groups will develop and grow. Women for Independence is even thinking about rewording its title to Independence for Women. It would be good to influence that direction of travel.

On the other side, we need to get involved far more in UK-wide campaigns. 

Two years concentrating on the constitutional divide has made the movement in Scotland a trifle insular. 

In particular there are campaigns going on — around the NHS, welfare and other issues — that would welcome a more direct input from Scottish activists. 

One obvious start would be to increase our commitment to the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, which has its AGM on October 4.

So we need to discuss — and we need to make approaches to those on the opposite side. 

There are opportunities coming up where that can be done, most obviously this Sunday’s Morning Star conference where a platform consisting of both Yes and No voters has the opportunity to take a lead. 

Ranging from Labour’s Neil Findlay MSP to the SNP’s trade union group chair Chris Stephens, the conference also includes a contribution from Bill Greenshields, vice-chair of the (UK) People’s Assembly.

Obviously, given the key role of the STUC, its demonstration for A Just Scotland on October 18 should be a further target date. 

The STUC’s Economy Conference on the previous Wednesday brings together trade unions and other civil society organisations to debate aims, policies and campaigns. 

Finally, but importantly, the Tony Benn Celebration Day, being organised by FairPley and a group of trade unions for November 30 in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, has the opportunity of reaching out to a large and wide-ranging audience — the type of audience we need to reconnect with if progressive ideas are going to reclaim their rightful place at the head of the debate.