Seil Chat

How about that, then? Tories in No 10, SNP landslide of epic proportions? For me, what is important is that the SNP contingent in Westminster speak FOR Scotland (of course they will) but TO the whole UK. Not to be disruptive for the sake of it, merely because it will play well to the galleries up here. Nicola has promised they will stand up for the whole UK, and they need to do that now. Do what they can to minimise the coming depredations of Cameron's mob. Work with Labour.
Another referendum will come, eventually, sooner than anyone thought a few months back probably. In the meantime the SNP are a UK party in a UK government, and earning the respect of the whole UK will serve the SNP well when that referendum comes.
Of course an "out" vote in Cameron's (apparently successful) sop to potential Ukip voters would change the game instantly. If the overwhelming support for SNP (over 50% of the vote!) is reflected then, that would be an immediate trigger for referendum I I., in my view.

The Tories have at least as many seats as Labour in Scotland. Who'd have thunk it? Something new is happening. Could be fun. It will certainly be interesting.

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Tim

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Major statesmanship now required from the SNP.

Interesting times indeed.

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NickB
(site admin)

"It's a result Jim!, but not as we know it". (apologies to all trekies )

So Bill has joined D,Campbell (pointy ears) in making obscure references to film scripts - known only to affectionados of the particular genre.
Just one point maybe worth mentioning at this point in time -
Our local SNP leader was at great pains to point out that the party aim was to get the "Tories out", and one of the thorns in their flesh was one J. Murphy (castigated without mercy on these pages) who said a "vote for the SNP was a vote for D. Cameron". And such it has proved.
I do not expect that observation to go unchallenged by the cohorts stacked against me.

Frankly, Jim, it was that kind of nonsense that caused the evisceratIon of Scottish Labour. The SNP seemed to be the only party telling us what they stood FOR. Everyone else spent the whole time telling us what evils would befall us if we voted SNP.
Looks like we know which kind of campaign speaks more clearly to the Scottish people.

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Tim

So, how then could N. Sturgeon have achieved her avowed goal of ending austerity and ousting the Tories? - Neither objective is in the pipeline.

All the SNP could do was address their electorate with their vision for Scotland. They did just that, moderately successfully. What happened in England was always beyond their control. Are you suggesting that the SNP should have told their voters to vote for a Labour party which had manifestly failed Scotland, in the vain hope that they might a: defeat Cameron and b: then somehow reward us for our cooperation?
I would point out that, had Labour won every seat in Scotland, Cameron would still be in No 10 and Scotland would have no clear voice in Westminster. I can't see how that could be a result worth contemplating. At least the voice we now have is the voice of Scotland, not of a branch office under direction from London.

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Tim