Owen Jones – Emerald News Network

Scotland’s National Collective Takes on Owen Jones

As the people of Scotland who backed independence come to terms with their referendum defeat they are scrambling to find alternative routes to achieve freedom from London. As in all defeated causes, however temporary that defeat is, there are the inevitable Après match bouts of in-fighting. It is clearly no different in Scotland. National Collective’s Miriam Brett – a seasoned campaigner for the Scottish Yes movement and a contributor to the National Collective’s blog – launched at Twitter rocket on the English leftist Owen Jones. Brett asked Scots attending the STUC protest against austerity to remind Jones that “he chose Establishment and cuts against a movement of social justice.” Jones, who consistently writes and speaks out against the British Establishment and social inequality, brushed her off saying, “If you want to consider me the enemy, then fair enough.” Brett continued her tirade – with the support of National Collective – in claiming that Jones stood for “Unfettered Neoliberalism and Westminster.” Owen ended the discussion by pointing out the absurd demand that was being made of him; that he subscribe to everything that Brett and National Collective advocate or be considered “Lackeys of the Establishment.” Tensions are running high in Scotland after September, and this is understandable. National Collective undoubtedly expected to be at the business and creative cutting edge of a new Scotland by now, and now they are working hard to deal with present realities. Sounding off against potential allies in England is hardly a productive way forward, more especially when leftists in Scotland are now essential to the independence discussion.