I recently had the great opportunity to meet with Andrew, and speak to him about the new plans he will bring in as leader of the Labour group in the City of Edinburgh Council.
Quite often in politics, and especially in the Labour Party over the last year, we are lost in a jungle of self-fulfilling targets and ambitions. We rarely take a step back to look at what we have achieved, what we wish we had done differently, and, most importantly, decide what we want to do in the future.
It has been our lack of ambition which remains our downfall. We lost an election because of it last May, and we shall lose a far more important election because of it in the next couple of years unless we change fast and strong. I have heard it mentioned by activists in the party that a bit of opposition would be 'good for us'. It may force us to return to our values and reflect on what matters for us as a party, for us as a society. But I don't think they could be more wrong. Opposition has been rotten for us over this past year in Scotland. It's resulted in a lack of aim, direction, and drive. However, some people manage to keep it going in the right direction, and make the best out of the cruel situation we've got. Andrew is one of those.
On talking to him last week he made a few key points.
1) He congratulated Ewan for being a great Council leader, leaving it £50 million in the black, and also a good opposition leader in the Council, ensuring that we kept up the fight against poverty and prejudice even in opposition. (In fact, it wasn't that long ago the SNP/Lib Dem coalition was close to breaking...)
Now, these are the important points...
2) He had a good (and well deserved) blow at people like me who just can't get over the fact we are in opposition. The problem is, you see, I resent it. I hate it. We deserved to lose the election, we did, we did, and it PAINS me to say it, but it's true. We just shouldn't have lost it to this lot. I have struggled to view opposition as an opportunity, as I have always seen it as a problem. And it can be good for us. Under him it will be.
GET OVER IT MATT, COME ON!
3) He will make changes.
Change is always good. Change for change's sake serves some good purposes. I will always remember Bill Clinton giving a speech at Labour Party Conference a couple of years ago when he said, "Our question should never be 'should we change?', but instead, 'how can we change?'". I think he was right, and I think Andrew's will nail that change. He grasps the idea that change should not be fundamental, but more of a constant evolution.
4) HE WANTS TO "ENJOY" HIMSELF!!!
Isn't that a refreshing thing to hear?!
He said that of course standing up for the poor and vulnerable is a serious matter (in fact, the very core of our existence), he wants Edinburgh Labour to be a place of fun and laughter. I can't say pleasure has been one of the principal outputs of the Labour Party to me personally or indeed any other members or activists, but I want it to be. It should be.
I have every faith that this man will lead us back into power, and that there are lessons to be learnt by us all from his optimism and strength. I wish him the very best of luck, and while I will always stand out against anything I believe to be wrong, he has my support, the support of the party, and indeed the support of the people of Edinburgh.
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