The notion of exclusion, being a loser in the division of life’s spoils, is a powerful driver in contemporary politics.
AS one year ends and another approaches, this all has an acute relevance to the coming elections next May. As Scotland is not an independent state, it does not have responsibility for tax, industry and many other things. But the narrative for these elections needs to show why this is wrong and how Scotland’s control over its own resources would make things better.
That needs ambitious policies which don’t leave things in the hands of private owners who can move their capital across the world in search of lower labour costs and higher profits. It means making sure our industrial base serves the communities in which it is built. It means answering the question: Which side are you on?