Attendees
There were an awful lot of people who aren't just the usual suspects. This gives me hope that we really are keeping a lot of folk who were activated by the referendum active. The age profile in particular was wonderful to see.
Participation
The top table format isn't perfect for most things, but this was effectively a mega rally with a far better attempt than most left summits at ensuring a diverse range of voices were given space, both in the main bits and the workshops.
Labour
I'm not a Labour party member, and am unlikely ever to be one, with little faith in the party as a whole, but strong sympathies with a few inside.
With the exceptions of that few, I think Labour positioned itself poorly on the referendum, that those I like and/or love within the party have compromised too much, that they hate the SNP far more than is rational, and frequently put party interests ahead of what is right. (this last criticism I apply to most parties).
That disclaimer aside, I worry that hatred of Labour is more important for some who were on my side in the referendum and who were there today than the world we want to see - that crushing labour is more of an objective than resisting rampant capitalism (of which I acknowledge Labour are a part), and that it distracts a lot of folk who might be open to our political message from that message.
Future
I'm not overly excited by Westminster 2015 from a Scottish perspective - it strikes me that having said Scottish politics is more about Holyrood than Westminster, focusing too much on Westminster is a mistake - creating the conditions for a fairer Scotland in a fairer world will not be achieved there, and I advocate a targeted push in the local authority elections, to demonstrate what can happen when people with ideas rather than managerial ambition are elected.
Aye, that's about it for now. There was some very good chat on the road home on how to mount a campaign for the Dundee City Council elections, which I may write a bit about at some point.
