Remove the Shackles

The motion

That the Parliament notes with regret the increasingly partisan approach of Labour members to “take note” motions and motions for members’ business; is aware that of the 14 outstanding such motions submitted by Liberal Democrat MSPs to attract signatures at 11 January 2002, 13 have attracted support from SNP members but none have the support of their Labour coalition partners; realises that, in contrast, of the 33 Labour motions, 23 have attracted Liberal Democrat, 31 SNP and 19 Conservative support; acknowledges that of 70 SNP motions outstanding, 31 obtained Liberal Democrat, 19 Conservative but only 11 Labour support; recognises that, when given, Labour support is token and comes from only one or two members with specific constituency or special interests; is surprised that even motions previously signed by Labour members do not attract the same signatures when subsequently re-submitted indicating a tightening of the Labour Whips’ control; further acknowledges that such an approach has meant no Labour backing at all for motions on such issues as Female Genital Mutilation, International Year of Mountains and Donald Whyte, Genealogist; believes that Labour Whips are preventing Labour members from signing perfectly innocuous, non-partisan motions and thus undermining the very ethos of the “new politics” the Parliament should represent; expresses surprise at the lack of self-confidence, lack of faith and insecurity that this approach displays; accepts that while all parties have a right to express their views robustly in the Chamber, in committees and in the media, there is still room for cross-party co-operation on a host of issues, not least those raised in members’ business motions; commends Conservative, Green, Independent, Liberal Democrat, SNP and SSP members for acting in the true spirit of the Parliament in this regard but expresses disappointment that Labour control freakery prevents Labour members from doing likewise; considers that Labour members cannot reasonably expect support from non-Labour members for their motions when they have no intention of reciprocating, and therefore appeals to Labour Whips to remove the shackles on their members to allow free expression of support for non-partisan motions, and indeed members’ Bills, on their merits, before colleagues in other parties, irritated by Labour’s politically sectarian attitude, feel obliged to react in similar fashion.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

SNP 17 Green 1 SSP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S1M-02618 by reference.