By stewartb
Prominent on Labour in Scotland’s website right now is this: ‘What will Labour do for Scotland? – Our 6 first steps to change Scotland‘. This is Labour’s step number six!
- ‘Maximise Scotland’s influence using the UK’s global trade networks to promote Scottish businesses, boost exports and attract investment to create jobs.’
Perhaps a moments thought as to relevant context and perspective by Labour’s leadership in Scotland might have been helpful before issuing this kind of substance-free stuff. It’s possible of course that this ‘maximising’ pledge has been dreamt up to give an incoming Labour Secretary of State for Scotland (Ian Murray?) cover for a ‘pretendy’ purpose!
This pledge to Scotland on ‘maximising influence’ on trade ironically is from the same Labour Party determined never to make the case for the UK to rejoin the EU or re-join the single market and customs union. This ‘maximising influence’ Labour Party is the same one opposed to the people of Scotland even having the option to vote on options to maximise their country’s influence! It’s as if when dreaming up this change number six, Labour in Scotland became unaware or unconcerned that not so long ago, Scotland and its businesses were able to benefit from the EU’s globally extensive trade network and free trade agreements, as well as access to the European single market. Now that was all ‘maximising’ influence and benefit for Scotland’s businesses!
On salmon and much more besides, Scotland’s international trade does pretty well relative to other parts of the rUK.
‘5.1 UK exports by UK nations and English regions 2021:
Scotland = £50.1 billion (7.7% of UK exports) – London at 19.1% skews the UK percentage figures.
‘5.2 UK imports by UK nations and English regions 2021:
‘Scotland = £29.2 billion (4.3% of UK imports) – London at 20.3% and SE England at 17.2% skew the UK percentage figures.’
These are the latest figures: the next release of these regional statistics is set at ‘tbc 2024’.)
It’s known – based on the annual EY Attractiveness Survey – that Scotland performs better than most parts of the UK, bettered only by London, in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (fdi).
For example, this is from the most recent EY report: ‘Scotland was the UK location securing the second highest number of projects in 2022, a position it has also held in nine of the past ten years. Scotland recorded 126 projects in 2022 compared to 122 in 2021, a rise of 3.3% — the fourth successive annual increase, and Scotland’s largest ever total. Major drivers of Scottish FDI projects included digital technology and utility projects, including renewables. Scotland’s share of all UK projects continued to rise, reaching 13.6% in 2022 from 10% in 2019 and 12.3%
in 2021.’
Source ‘ Navigating through turbulence – EY UK Attractiveness Survey UK including Scotland spotlight June 2023’
Scotland has long benefited from the highly professional and effective Scottish Development International (SDI) both in the promotion of exports from Scotland and attracting fdi into Scotland. SDI presently has 30 trade and investment offices spread across the world in 23 countries. This capacity and capability, together with the Scottish Government’s nine offices in places like Berlin and Beijing, work together and, yes whilst within the UK, with UK Department for International Trade.
So what is Labour in Scotland actually offering voters with this so called ‘change’? Anyone know what new, additional inputs; what new, more effective activities; with what scale of greater outputs, outcomes and impacts this ‘maximising influence’ will actually involve and lead to? All these seem reasonable questions to put to a Party which sees this specific election pledge as one of just six being given priority profile in an attempt to attract voters in Scotland.
Do the folk who run the Labour Party in Scotland really take voters here for mugs? Or are they just naturally patronising?
Talking-up Scotland / Facts on NHS, Crime, ferries and everything else you can think of 
At 19.1 % what exactly does London have to export?
Is it companies registered in London whilst the product is from other parts of the UK?
ATP
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You got it one with ” It’s possible of course that this ‘maximising’ pledge has been dreamt up to give an incoming Labour Secretary of State for Scotland (Ian Murray?) cover for a ‘pretendy’ purpose! ” – I live in hope his constituents finally see the light and he ceases being a blot on the political landscape.
Number 6 is one of the oldest political aspirational statements there are, but in the context of a UK party citing Scotland, it’s good old fashioned gaslighting if not downright hypocrisy – Westminster politicians have done their damnedest to undermine ‘Maximise Scotland’s influence’ since the SNP took office, and that is unlikely to change.
– eg Saltire branding was highly successful in increasing Scotland’s exports, so much so it irritated the Westminster mafia, who set about coercing manufacturers to ditch the Saltire in favour of the Union flag.
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”Do the folk who run the Labour party in Scotland take voters here for mugs ?”
Well, the people who run the Labour Party in Scotland DON’T live in Scotland AND if they ever gave Scottish voters a thought for a moment , then Yes , they would take us for mugs !
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It really is quite astonishing that Slabour must think that some Scots will actually believe this guff and will win the hearts and minds of voters. Mind boggling that unfortunately some politically ignorant will. I cannot wait for Slabour canvassers to knock on my door.
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