Labour right to offer voters a clear choice on independence and politics in general – Scotsman comment

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said party candidates will need to support the Union (Picture: PA)

In its finest form, democracy is supposed to be a clash of ideas, not a tortuous process of electoral calculus as we work out how best to ‘game the system’.

So Anas Sarwar’s view that Labour councillors should not be “looking at coalitions with any political party” is the right message to send. Parties should stand on the principles they believe in and we should vote for them on that basis.

If people want Labour councillors, they should vote for them; if not, they should vote for the party that they think best represents their views. Going to the ballot box with an eye on a possible coalition with another party risks disappointment.

While there are arguments for tactical voting, if everyone does so, we would end up with parties in power that no one particularly likes. Hardly a good idea at a time when cynicism about politicians is so high.

And, of course, to inject a little cynicism of our own, showing a reluctance to enter coalitions might strengthen Labour’s hand in any future negotiations about doing just that. If the other party thinks they are not very keen, they may make an offer that’s too good to turn down.