"Labour's not just in chaos, it is actually faced with a fairly historic fork in the road. Labour has to decide whether it goes on trying to make the present system work or whether it joins the effort of the left across Europe, in Greece, in Spain, Catalonia and in Ireland to find a new way. This is what is at the root of the split between [Labour leader] Jeremy Corbyn and the rest of Parliamentary Labour Party together with Labour's collapse here in Scotland," Mason, the former economics editor for both BBC and Channel 4 News, said.
The Labour Party is currently embroiled in a bitter leadership contest between the current left-wing MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and fellow Labour parliamentarian Owen Smith. Many senior Labour figures have already expressed concern the Party may formally split once the leadership election concludes in September.
"It's the Labour Party's inability to decide what to do, what direction to take, that is resulting in the split. We'll see what happens but it is clear Labour cannot go on as it is, particularly here in Scotland where it just simply can't go on unless it decides to adopt a new attitude towards Scottish independence," Mason added.
The author was in Edinburgh to promote his latest book, PostCapitalism — A Guide to Our Future, that critiques the current neo-liberal economic model used by most Western societies.
Asked by Sputnik whether the recent economic problems faced by countries across Europe signalled the end for capitalism, Mason responded, "I don't think we are seeing the end of capitalism. What we are seeing is a fragmentation of a particular order. It's to do with systemic problems about the economy."
