Scottlish Elections

[Tom Stronach]

What a great day! I'm especially proud of the people from my hometown who opted to boot out that arse Andy Kerr. It's been a long time coming.

[Jaggernaut]

What a great day! I'm especially proud of the people from my hometown who opted to boot out that arse Andy Kerr. It's been a long time coming.

"Arse" is too polite a term for him; but I guess this is a family forum...

[Otis]

Magic day for the SNP, great day for Scotland +4 list msp's south of Scotland.

[Steven H]

SNP gains Kirkcaldy to take their seats up to the 65 required for a majority government

[Jaggernaut]

SNP gains Kirkcaldy to take their seats up to the 65 required for a majority government

Replace that smiley above with

[Steven H]

Replace that smiley above with

 

I sit here now as a slightly concerned SNP supporter in a 'careful what you wish for' kind of way. I think I would have prefered a minority SNP government with an increased number of seats but now I just hope Salmond can deliver on his promises. One of the better things about Hollyrood is the fact there has never been a majority government, so there had to be debate and some give and take...we won't have that now, Im not certain how good a thing that is. Scotland has spoken and given the SNP a mandate to govern, I hope they do that in the way all SNP supporters hope they will.

 

BTW, Labour was indeed ousted in my constituency with 50% of the vote....without the need for AV

[Blackpool Jags]

Without trying to be simplistic, and accounting for the fact that I only make it over the border around 12 times a year, I reckon the (well-deserved) doing that Labour's received in Scotland is pretty much down to two things:

 

The quality of the typical Labour candidate is dire and largely untrustworthy, and, when in power they've treated the electorate like shite. Add to those the previous Blair/Brown factors and you've got a recipe for meltdown.

 

Although, despite the above, I'm still a Labour man, I'd like to congratulate the SNP on a well-deserved victory.

 

Btw, here in Blackpool the Tories and their wee dugs have just experienced electoral genocide. A safe Tory working majority of the 42 seats up for grabs has just been seismically reversed to: Labour 27 seats, Tories 14 and gLib Dems 1.

 

Yeehah.

[twinny]

Can't disagree with much BJs says. Labour have been punished for one of the worst electoral campaigns I can remember. The quality of their campaign was a direct result of their lack of quality politicians, and hopefully this will teach them that Westminster isn't more important and that Scottish seats are not a given. I hope that some of the new, unexpected list MPs from Labour can show their quality and help steer the party back on track.

 

Iain Gray has to be one of the worst political party leaders in the country's history, his tactical inability is almost hidden by his lack of character. Watching him in interviews I feel almost creeped out looking at his posture, he stands almost motionless with only his mouth moving and occasional sways of his head from side to side. Going back to the tactics, who appears to be distracted here?

[B.C.G. JAG]

I voted for SNP, twice even, and yet I just don't feel all that excited today. Yeah I am hopeful for independence, but national politics isn't something that rocks my boat. It's a bit depressing when you take an overview of the state of the left wing in Scotland today. There is no-one with any credibility or popularity under the socialist banner. The left is in freefall and that's a bit of a worry. Still, congrats to Salmond, he thoroughly deserves his victory. Labour were negative in the parliament and negative in their campaigning, arrogant with their list strategy, complacent with their support and uninspiring with their ideas. Hopefully now Labour will realise they can't wheek all their strong candidates away down south. However, by the time they get their act together, we might have cut the umbilical to London as a country and they'll still be playing catch up.

[1 John Lambie]

Nick Clegg hands the majority win to the SNP, Labour didn't do great (from the figures I've seen, compared to 2007), but they didn't do that badly either. The fact that they got virtually none of the Lib Dem vote is a surprise, but it really does show that the Lib Dems will be nowhere in British politics for years to come.

 

Also, I can't believe how Lib Dem characters are basically saying, "It's unfair the Tory cuts are bing taken out on us." No, they're not, you've lost your core vote & also voters who voted for you for something different because you sold yourselves & broke promises. I'm sure WJ will come along & say about how much of their manifesto they achieved, but that is largely irrelevant to most of Britain. It could be argued the most important part of their manifesto is the part they chose to give up.

Edited May 6, 2011 by 1 John Lambie

[Jaggernaut]

It's not on to try to explain all of the massive swings from Labour to the SNP by saying that it's Lib Dem voters who defected. The landslide is simply too massive. Glasgow is a case in point.

 

What is clear is that in spite of all the hand wringing and greetin' when the SNP won last time, they've shown that Scotland can deal competently with its own affairs, and that it can take the course of action that it sees fit, and that will be appreciated by voters. The SNP are making no attempt to hide the fact that there are tough times ahead, but the fact is that the people have heard how they plan to tackle the crises and they've mostly liked what they heard, even the sacrifices (e.g. pay freeze) that have been proposed are accepted. Business leaders also like what the SNP says and have been doing.

 

Not everybody is happy of course; it's never the case that everybody is, and even though Salmond has come in for criticism both here and in England (over the release of the supposed Lockerbie bomber, for example), people appreciate the way he stands up for his principles. The SNP government, unlike the unionist (apologies for) politicians, don't need first of all to be subservient to their masters in London.

 

I honestly believe that the flying visits (hurry up and let's get away) by the Westminster masters of the three unionist parties swayed many people away from those parties towards the SNP, as disillusionment with the whole idea of union (which the Scottish people never voted for) continues to grow, and rightly so IMO.

[jaggybunnet]

Nick Clegg hands the majority win to the SNP, Labour didn't do great (from the figures I've seen, compared to 2007), but they didn't do that badly either. The fact that they got virtually none of the Lib Dem vote is a surprise, but it really does show that the Lib Dems will be nowhere in British politics for years to come.

 

Also, I can't believe how Lib Dem characters are basically saying, "It's unfair the Tory cuts are bing taken out on us." No, they're not, you've lost your core vote & also voters who voted for you for something different because you sold yourselves & broke promises. I'm sure WJ will come along & say about how much of their manifesto they achieved, but that is largely irrelevant to most of Britain. It could be argued the most important part of their manifesto is the part they chose to give up.

 

 

i do feel some sympathy for clegg and the libs, they sat happly coming out with policies knowing they would never have to actualy follow them through and find the funds for them only to find that shock horror they are in power and they have sort out a right mess. its there delusional supporter who actualy thought they could keep those polices that piss me off, deluded.

Edited May 6, 2011 by jaggybunnet

[Jagali]

Fantastic election results...and congratulations to Jamie Hepburn who won his seat in 'Cumbernauld and Kilsyth'!

[The Devil's Point]

Indeed.

 

Strangely, the Labour and LibDem voices have gone very quiet on this forum.

 

I'd be on posting if the Lib Dems had done well right enough, so only fair to acknowledge a fantastic result for the SNP and congratulate them on their achievement.

 

Obviously a terrible set of results for the Lib Dems and I don't think its entirely fair to blame it all on the Westminister coalition (the Tories only lost two seats and they are also in the coalition!). However, I do think its been very hard to get over the compromise on the tuition fees "pledge" as, fairly or otherwise, I think the credibility of the party has been very badly damaged by that. Also, I think the attempt by the Scottish party to portray itself as having nothing to do with the coalition has looked pretty feeble.

 

But anyway, today is for the SNP supporters to enjoy their result

[Vladimir Putin]

The Scottish people have finally stood up, and with one voice, have sent a message to London. We don't want your coalition. We don't want your scaremongering. WE DON'T WANT YOUR UNION.

[Jaggernaut]

I'm afraid that's cloud cuckoo land. If the NO vote wins then any discussion about a fairer system will be dead and buried for decades, which is exactly what those who the system suits perfectly (i.e. the two "big" parties) want.

 

Like many others, at first I didn't really know what AV consisted of, but that was because I didn't make the effort to look at what it consists of. It took me a couple of minutes to look at it, and it's clearly superior and fairer than FTOF, sorry, FPTP.

 

If you'll allow me to quote myself, see above, and then see that rat-face Reid has already proclaimed as much (from the BBC website):

 

Labour's Lord Reid, who backed the No campaign, said the decisive result "should put electoral reform off the agenda".

[jaggybunnet]

The Scottish people have finally stood up, and with one voice, have sent a message to London. We don't want your coalition. We don't want your scaremongering. WE DON'T WANT YOUR UNION.

 

 

no it doesn't, you picked up the backlash to libs and labour not a mandate to get rid of the union...BUT I hope he puts it to referendum (he wont yet) as it will go the same way as the av.

 

nothing in what the snp have said makes me want to try independence, in fact the opposite, it scare the life out of me to think of that clown trying to run the country whilst taxing us to the hilt for his wee fads.

[Blackpool Jags]

Nick Clegg hands the majority win to the SNP, Labour didn't do great (from the figures I've seen, compared to 2007), but they didn't do that badly either. The fact that they got virtually none of the Lib Dem vote is a surprise, but it really does show that the Lib Dems will be nowhere in British politics for years to come.

 

Also, I can't believe how Lib Dem characters are basically saying, "It's unfair the Tory cuts are bing taken out on us." No, they're not, you've lost your core vote & also voters who voted for you for something different because you sold yourselves & broke promises. I'm sure WJ will come along & say about how much of their manifesto they achieved, but that is largely irrelevant to most of Britain. It could be argued the most important part of their manifesto is the part they chose to give up.

 

I think this is a particularly realistic and insightful post, particularly the bit in bold.

 

The Tory vote seems to have largely held up throughout Britain, and that's because they haven't disappointed their people; they've pretty much delivered their grotesque form of government, and their voters are, understandably, pleased with that. Clegg, on the other hand, has whored himself senseless on issues like tuition fees and the universally despised Health & Social Care bill, comfortably standing shoulder to shoulder with rats like Lansley and Osborne for the cameras, all for the sake of the spotlight and a relatively piddling quid pro quo like a referendum on AV.

 

Clearly, decent Lib Dem voters are wretching into their buckets at this caricature of centrist party leader. THAT's why the Lib Dems have taken such a twatting across the board. Now that his AV hobby horse has been shot, he should be taking a good look at himself and be asking himself what future he has. I've no doubt that he won't and, while still stoned on the opium of power, will plod on till the next General Election by which time Cameron will have found a safe Tory seat for him.

[jaggybunnet]

I think this is a particularly realistic and insightful post, particularly the bit in bold.

 

The Tory vote seems to have largely held up throughout Britain, and that's because they haven't disappointed their people; they've pretty much delivered their grotesque form of government, and their voters are, understandably, pleased with that. Clegg, on the other hand, has whored himself senseless on issues like tuition fees and the universally despised Health & Social Care bill, comfortably standing shoulder to shoulder with rats like Lansley and Osborne for the cameras, all for the sake of the spotlight and a relatively piddling quid pro quo like a referendum on AV.

 

Clearly, decent Lib Dem voters are wretching into their buckets at this caricature of centrist party leader. THAT's why the Lib Dems have taken such a twatting across the board. Now that his AV hobby horse has been shot, he should be taking a good look at himself and be asking himself what future he has. I've no doubt that he won't and, while still stoned on the opium of power, will plod on till the next General Election by which time Cameron will have found a safe Tory seat for him.

 

i will give you this BJ, you dont give up do you, even when you know its rubbish, labour mess being sorted out by the tories with libs, some lib voter cant accept this has to happen and labour, well why should they change

[Blackpool Jags]

i will give you this BJ, you dont give up do you, even when you know its rubbish, labour mess being sorted out by the tories with libs, some lib voter cant accept this has to happen and labour, well why should they change

 

I thank you for the (backhanded) compliment, JB. As ever, an even-handed and wholly objective post.

 

I will do the decent thing now and confess that, when in power, we frittered away countless zillions of taxpayers' money on rubbish like extra nurses and teachers when, in truth, we should've been doing the obvious and been cutting public services to the bone to allow us to fund massive tax breaks for the super-rich. That's what the country really needed and, to our shame, we just couldn't see that and let everybody down.

[Collins Out!]

Lol at Labour and Libs what a bunch of fannies.

[jaggybunnet]

I thank you for the (backhanded) compliment, JB. As ever, an even-handed and wholly objective post.

 

I will do the decent thing now and confess that, when in power, we frittered away countless zillions of taxpayers' money on rubbish like extra nurses and teachers when, in truth, we should've been doing the obvious and been cutting public services to the bone to allow us to fund massive tax breaks for the super-rich. That's what the country really needed and, to our shame, we just couldn't see that and let everybody down.

 

you got the first bit right

 

no you spent money like a kid in a sweety shop with no thought to how it was going to be paid for, you sat for 13 years doing sod all then slag off the tories for not doing all the things labour had 13 years to do.

 

labour were/are inept and corrupt.

[Blackpool Jags]

you got the first bit right

 

no you spent money like a kid in a sweety shop with no thought to how it was going to be paid for, you sat for 13 years doing sod all then slag off the tories for not doing all the things labour had 13 years to do.

 

labour were/are inept and corrupt.

 

And there was I thinking there was no need for the smiley.

[Steven H]

That was always gona be the problem with the AV referendum...a NO to AV would be taken as a YES to FPTP. I hope, when the time comes, the SNP take note and offer something different to a simple YES or NO to independence whenever the referendum takes place.

 

As for the reason for last nights landslide, Lib Dem voters turned their backs on the party the way the party turned their back on their voters in the Westminster elections. The fact Labour didnt pick up any of the Lib Dem votes was because their campaign was a disaster from start to finish. What they have now is a bunch of constituency MSPs who mostly clung onto their seats by their fingertips and a load of list MSPs who are not exactly the cream of the crop in the Scottish Labour party.

[MerryHell]

I think this is a particularly realistic and insightful post, particularly the bit in bold. The Tory vote seems to have largely held up throughout Britain, and that's because they haven't disappointed their people; they've pretty much delivered their grotesque form of government, and their voters are, understandably, pleased with that. Clegg, on the other hand, has whored himself senseless on issues like tuition fees and the universally despised Health & Social Care bill, comfortably standing shoulder to shoulder with rats like Lansley and Osborne for the cameras, all for the sake of the spotlight and a relatively piddling quid pro quo like a referendum on AV. Clearly, decent Lib Dem voters are wretching into their buckets at this caricature of centrist party leader. THAT's why the Lib Dems have taken such a twatting across the board. Now that his AV hobby horse has been shot, he should be taking a good look at himself and be asking himself what future he has. I've no doubt that he won't and, while still stoned on the opium of power, will plod on till the next General Election by which time Cameron will have found a safe Tory seat for him.

 

Agreed - the Tories are being the Tories. Nobody is surprised and their supporters won't be disappointed. 2 seats down (not sure how much this will have been due to the re-drawing of the boundries) isn't too bad for them.

 

Labour vote has largly held up (down 0.5% i think i saw somewhere) but they've had no momentum behind them to grow their vote, meaning that they've not attracted any undecided voters. In my constituency (they won), they polled less in the regional vote than the candidate vote, meaning their voters were probably voting for the candidate rather than the party. Now the party leader is the first one to fall.

 

Lib Dems collapsed. Probably worse than anyone could have predicted. I have always voted Lib Dem and both my votes went the the SNP this time. I guess i wasn't the only one. I know the statistics about how much of their manifesto is in the coalition agreement, but it's what they've sat back and allowed to pass that is what sticks in the throat.

 

SNP picked up votes where they shouldn't have, and have completely blown the system, that was designed to prevent them having a majority, away. It's interesting again ... here's hoping they can make a success of it over the next 5 years.