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SCOTLAND’S Labour left and major unions are mustering their forces against Jim Murphy’s manufactured “clause four” moment adopting the principle of “patriotism” in the party’s constitution.
The Scottish Labour leader’s proposed changes will be voted on at the party’s one-day conference in Edinburgh today.
Successive polls show Labour is heading for a historic defeat to the SNP in Scotland in May’s general election.
Left Labour group Campaign for Socialism’s Vince Mills told the Star that the clause pledging Labour to work for the “patriotic interests of the Scottish people” directly contradicted the class politics needed to win back support.
“Faced with the idea of putting patriotism into our constitution, Keir Hardie would surely have done what he threatened to do when Labour would not support women’s suffrage — resign,” he said.
“No wonder voters are deserting us.”
No amendments will be allowed to the draft constitution and party managers expect members to back Mr Murphy’s law, despite opposition from the campaign and major unions including Unison and Unite.
Mr Murphy admitted yesterday that the election was “in Scotland’s hands” as the polls remain bleak for his party — with some predicting almost an complete wipe-out of all 40 Labour Westminster seats north of the border.
“We’re working to hold on to every one of our seats,” he said.
“Every seat that Labour can win in Scotland is a seat closer to David Cameron losing office.”
