Grass Roots Politics

Well, not the picture. This is part of the graffiti art on the boards around the new development of Haymarket station. I passed it twice this evening on the way to and from a political meeting at St Brides. First ordinary party meeting I've been to for many years. Some things have changed, others seemed just the same. Back in the day, a group of 15-20 people would have been a branch meeting. Tonight was a meeting for to the whole constituency. And not 'delegates' representing different branches and affiliated groups, but a meeting open to any party member. Down from the 600+ members there used to be but I think someone said there were still 300+ on the membership list. I guess the evening did start with some 'political education' of sorts. Trouble was it was someone from the Better Together campaign which still smacks of a top-down campaign. There was some comment from the floor that standing together with the Tories was a potentially toxic platform. But that boat has already sailed. And while the left in Scotland should have common cause with the left in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if the political centre of gravity is so much further to the right south of the border (and in particular in the SE of England) there is a problem. Especially if (New) Labour MPs behave like Liam Byrne and for some unfathomable reason don't vote against the Tories on Welfare Reform. Not to mention acting like a stupid schoolboy when leaving notes to the incoming government that are a hostage to fortune for years to come. Such a stupid thing to do, I'd have kicked him out of the party. But then again that's why I lose the dressing room whenever I play Football Manager.
I digress a little. Anyway, there was a bit of stuff about the nuts and bolts of the campaign rather than inspiring political debate. Then it was on to normal business. The agenda, approval of minutes of previous meeting, more plans for what to do next (although to be fair, the party in Edinburgh has been reorganised so the constituency is brand new) and then, with time pressing, feedback from councillor that was so whistle-stop there was no real time to discuss things like the Caltongate decision in any sort of depth. And then it got a little bit interesting. When someone proposed a motion. Earlier on there had been the opportunity to propose a motion for conference, but the condition that any motion mustn't be amongst the list of policy papers and agenda items, but no one knew what they were, effectively killed any possibility of putting something forward. I remember the leadership were never keen on constituency motions at conference as they often asked awkward questions. Hence policy forums and discussions and the removal of the route into policy that motions used to provide for activists. Anyway, this constituency motion at first seemed fairly bland - simply asking people to sign a public online petition to support a whistleblowers' hotline for council staff. Edinburgh council has a petition process whereby people can seek online support for a topic and given sufficient support it will be discussed by the council. Then party procedure reared its head. Someone asked if everyone present was allowed to vote. Not sure, but I think they were still in the old mindset of delegates and restricted voting rights. When they were eventually satisfied that we could all vote, someone else was very agitated by the motion' s language asking elected representatives to 'support' the campaign. Perhaps it also reflected a rustiness in the application of procedure, but it took a while for it to become clear that what they needed to do was to propose an amendment. Which was done, replacing the word 'support' with 'consider'. I thought the proposer would reject it, and was prepared to vote against the amendment but sadly he just caved and said he accepted the amendment. And so the largely toothless motion was passed.
Still, it provided a bit of theatre for the latter part of the meeting.
And then back home past the Scottish soldier.