Scottish Labour leadership contender Joe Fagan has ruled out supporting another independence referendum under any circumstances, a stance that the Record View argues is an own goal that has cost previous party leaders.
Hard line on IndyRef2
Fagan has said there are no circumstances in which he would ever support another independence referendum. Backing an agreed route map would also be off the table if he wins next month. The problem with Fagan's approach is it closely resembles the position of all the failed Scottish Labour leaders of the past.
Just saying no might be a smart move in an internal contest, but it will alienate hundreds of thousands of pro-indy voters who have shunned the party. In taking such a hard line, Fagan is stopping himself from appealing to half the population who back this constitutional option.
Alternative approach
A more considered position was recently adopted by fellow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney. He said a cross-party commission could be established to agree a trigger point for IndyRef2. This Northern Ireland-style solution would be a mature response to addressing a tedious stalemate in Scottish politics. But Fagan dismissing the idea is another sign Labour are not serious about engaging with SNP and Green voters.
The reality is, regardless of your view on independence, the SNP stand for a radical vision of change. Labour have no such cause and voters have been left confused and bewildered by their positions on a range of issues.
Devolution as a starting point
A good starting point would be for Fagan and fellow candidate Michael Marra to remember Labour is the party that delivered devolution. Rebooting the devolution agenda and respecting pro-independence voters are the obvious courses of action for the Scottish party.
Depo-Provera scandal
The Record's stories on women left with brain tumours and bulging eyes after taking the Depo-Provera contraceptive jag highlight a stark issue with female healthcare in Scotland. When the Record first reported on the issue in February, there were fewer than a handful of victims who had gone public. But in the months that followed, the figure has snowballed to more than 150 after the Record continued to highlight and unearth the scandal.
Scores of women are now calling for the NHS to update guidance on how the drug is used and better screening for those who take it. Cheryl Donnelly's six-year fight to have her tumour diagnosed shows that both women and clinical staff are not fully informed of the increased health risks the jag carries.
It is vital that this changes. Awareness must increase, testing must be a priority and we must succeed in delivering better care for Scottish women.
