Scottish Labour leadership candidate Cathy Jamieson argues for an innovative Scotland with improved child care and a not for profit railway system in this exclusive online essay. 

Campaigning on the streets of Glasgow East strengthened my view that Scotland's Labour Party must work harder to reconnect with those who have lost faith with us. We had a good candidate in Margaret Curran, and more activists involved than we have seen for some time. But that was not enough.  We must do more than listen – we must be determined to act.

The status quo is not an option for us. Merely doing more of the same will not get Labour back into power. We cannot sit back and wait for the wheels to come off the SNP bandwagon. People who have now turned away need to be persuaded that Labour policies are relevant to their lives.

Scottish values are Labour’s core values.  I believe in fairness and rewarding hard work. I want a helping hand for those who need it, and opportunities for all, no matter your background.

I can honestly say that Scotland's constitutional position – far less the Scottish Labour Party's rules – was not raised regularly on the doorsteps of Glasgow East.  But people did talk about what affected them and their families. They could see what had been done to improve the area overall, and welcomed this, but also saw streets still scarred by vandalism and anti-social behaviour.  Residents who had pride in their homes and gardens clearly had made a real effort and despaired when neighbouring properties were neglected.  They worried about who would be allocated the vacant properties, fearing the impact of drug dealers or petty criminals.

Yet many were fiercely proud of the area, and wanted politicians to respond to their hopes and aspirations for the future.  Those same aspirations are reflected as I meet party members and supporters across the country.

The new leader will have a different mandate from our predecessors, being elected by party members, trade unionists, MPs, MEPs and MSPs. That mandate gives a powerful voice to speak out. It also gives the opportunity to build a fresh consensus in the Party at every level, from community activist to elected representative.

I joined the Labour Party because I wanted to see improvements in the quality of life for all. I want everyone to have the best possible education, not just in childhood but also in later years. I support trade unions campaigning for fairness at work. I want improved health care for all. Our senior citizens deserve dignity. We should expect as a right safe communities and decent housing. We can have a caring and compassionate Scotland while promoting innovation and success.

There will be things that we will do differently in Scotland – different policies, different ways of providing services. That’s what devolution is about.  It is also right to examine our current arrangements and that is what the Calman Commission is doing.

We can work together with Westminster for Scotland’s benefit. We need to look afresh at getting people back into work, introducing flexibility in the benefits system, coupled with affordable child care. We should provide a more responsive rail network, by adopting a not for profit model when the Scotrail franchise ends. I want energy companies and the Scottish Government to protect the less well off with a hardship fund in Scotland. The recent 10^th anniversary of the Minimum Wage – opposed by the Tories and boycotted by the SNP- reminds us of the progressive policies which Labour has delivered. I support further action to secure decent wages for the lowest paid.

I believe the time is right to expand social enterprises and increase the use of the co-operative model in providing services as a viable alternative to the private sector.

I will have no hesitation in raising issues with Westminster, when that is the right thing to do.  But I will do so with the intention of finding solutions to problems. Scotland is a forward looking nation, which of course seeks to do the best for its people.  Scots should be confident enough in themselves to know that we can still work within the United Kingdom while expressing our own distinctiveness.

Scotland's Labour Party must of course look at how to improve and modernise policy making and organisation. That work is already under way. I do not believe that party members, or the wider public, will thank us for retreating inwards and believing that the issues facing us are only about Party structures.  We face wider challenges on policy and direction, which must be addressed.

Scotland’s Labour Party has no divine right to govern Scotland. The Scottish people make that decision based upon who they feel best stands up for their concerns. Our challenge is to ensure that our policies will make a difference to every Scot so that people can trust us when we say that we will fight for their interests. That will take a leader who can work effectively with others but also be prepared to make a principled stand.  We need inspiration, determination and action to win again.

 Cathy Jamieson is a candidate for Scottish Labour leadership.

The Fabian Society has invited all three Scottish Labour Party leadership candidates to write online essays.