Arch anti-Corbynite selected by Labour in Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Matt Dobson

Scottish Labour’s domination by neo-Blairites has been confirmed with the selection of Michael Shanks as the candidate for the likely Westminster by election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West. 

Shanks was the chosen candidate of the Scottish Labour leadership, specifically Jackie Ballie and Ian Murray who oversaw the selection process. Two local constituency Labour Parties have sent complaints over the selection process, which saw a number of trade unionists excluded.

Shanks actually wrote a blog about leaving the party in 2019 when it was under the left leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. He only returned once pro-capitalist Keir Starmer came to power in 2020.

Shanks wrote: “ The truth is for more than 15 years the Labour party has been a home for me…..It has become impossible to reconcile the state of the party is currently in with those core values. A party that has such a bankrupt approach to our membership of the EU and is complacent about the impact it will have on the poorest people across the UK does not share those values. A party that has been woefully inadequate in tackling antisemitism time and time and time again does not have those values at its core. And aside from all that, it’s a party that seems oblivious to how utterly unelectable it has become.”

This is a classic repeat of the lines used by the pro-capitalist right wing to undermine and witch hunt Corbyn and those who defended his radical left programme. Shanks would no doubt be a loyal supporter of Starmer and Sarwar, if elected, in jettisoning Corbyn’s policies, such as the scrapping of university tuition fees and repealing Tory anti-protest laws.

It was those like the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition who gave real support to Corbyn, including against the false allegations of antisemitism and in support of his commitments on public ownership. TUSC did not contest the 2017 or 2019 general elections when Corbyn was Labour leader.

Scottish TUSC also, alongside the RMT trade union, put forward a socialist case for leaving the bosses’ EU. Today we call for Corbyn, who has been told he can’t stand for Labour while the likes of Shanks can, to stand independently of Labour as part of a trade union backed list for anti-austerity and socialist policies.

A workers’ candidate in Rutherglen and Hamilton West by election could be step towards drawing up a list of candidates for the general election that could then be a step towards launching a new workers’ party. 

That’s why Scottish TUSC has organised a public meeting on May 17 to discuss the need for a workers’ candidate to stand on policies like no cuts budgets, for above inflation pay and benefit rises, socialist nationalisation, as well as the right to a second independence referendum and an independent socialist Scotland.

Wednesday 17th May 7:30pm

Number 18 Venue. 18 Farmeloan Road

Rutherglen G73 1DL