 | 'Last week, Mr McAllion, Labour’s spokesman for youth affairs and the "new deal" policy in the Scottish parliament election campaign, admitted that he agreed in principle with the Scottish National Party’s policy of using the so-called tartan tax to spend on health, education and housing.' Robert Tait in the Scotsman, 18 th March 1999. |  |
THE maverick MP Dennis Canavan intends to form an alliance with left-wing Labour members at Holyrood after he is expelled from the party.
In what will be an act of revenge against the Labour leadership, he will try to form ad hoc links with members of a hard left-wing faction to press for higher taxes and more revenue-raising powers for the Scottish parliament.
Prospective dissenting MSPs such as John McAllion, the Nationalist-minded MP for Dundee East, and Cathy Jamieson are in Mr Canavan’s sights as possible allies.
Mr Canavan, the Labour MP for Falkirk West, will stand as an independent candidate in the Scottish parliament elections, both for his local constituency seat and for the regional list.
He decided to stand against the party’s official candidates after failing to be selected for Labour’s approved list of Holyrood candidates. His stance, in defiance of Labour’s leadership, is almost certain to lead to his expulsion from the party.
But yesterday, Mr Canavan said he still hoped to make ideological common cause with Labour MSPs who held similar views to himself on certain issues. Specifically, he said he intends to argue for the parliament to be given the power to raise all its own revenue, rather than depending on the arrangement of the Whitehall block grant plus a maximum of 3p in the pound income tax-varying powers.
Mr Canavan said: "I think there are people within the Labour Party who are standing as candidates who would, at least privately, agree with me on this issue. "But they feel they are now bound by a decision that was never taken democratically but was foisted on them by Tony Blair.
"If I’m elected to the Scottish parliament I will certainly be trying to build bridges with people of similar opinions."
Mr Canavan said the voting system for Holyrood elections, which is likely to result in coalition government, would have the effect of lending individuals and factions more power and influence than they have at Westminster. "I think there’s a great deal of potential for individuals and groups to put their heads together," he said.
added. "That would be a healthier situation than just the ruling party or parties having the final say on everything."
The Scotsman revealed earlier this month that several left-wing candidates were prepared to form a faction in Holyrood to campaign for their beliefs, such as more power and autonomy to the Scottish Labour party and the use of the parliament’s tax-raising powers to fund public spending.
Such ideas were suggested at a fringe meeting of the Campaign for Socialism at Labour’s annual Scottish conference two weeks ago. The meeting was attended by Mr Canavan and addressed by Mr McAllion and Mrs Jamieson.
Last week, Mr McAllion, Labour’s spokesman for youth affairs and the "new deal" policy in the Scottish parliament election campaign, admitted that he agreed in principle with the Scottish National Party’s policy of using the so-called tartan tax to spend on health, education and housing.
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