Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
JEREMY CORBYN got a great welcome from party members and supporters when he came to Glasgow recently, which is not surprising given that large numbers signed up for Labour and voted in our leadership election, enabling him to win in Scotland, just as he won across the UK as a whole.
However, a well-received speech does not transform the difficult environment for the Labour Party in Scotland.
A near wipeout in the general election demonstrated that there was little mileage left in Blairite political solutions and then the comparable disaster of the Scottish Parliament elections showed that we have not managed to avoid being squeezed between hard-line unionism and zealous separatism.
Deep disillusionment with the Westminster cross-party consensus means rupture with the status quo is on the cards – bringing not only opportunities but also dangers, says NICK WRIGHT
VINCE MILLS cautions over the perils and pitfalls of ‘a new left party’
While Reform poses as a workers’ party, a credible left alternative rooted in working-class communities would expose their sham — and Corbyn’s stature will be crucial to its appeal, argues CHELLEY RYAN


