Are Scots truly that Left Wing?

Bear in mind that since the referendum the SNP (and the Greens to a lesser extent) have massively increased party membership. The SNP membership now stands at 100,000 which if I recall makes them the third biggest party in the UK.

As tab and hirples have said, people have been voting for them consistently since devolution, without much thought that it would actually lead to independence, which would indicate policies.

In Scottish Parliamentary elections, I'd say it's their policies. In this particular Westminster General election, there's probably a high "protest" vote factoring in. Tories are massively unpopular, LibDems haven't been impressive, and Labour have completely lost touch. Who else to vote for, this time round, but the SNP? The Scottish Parliamentary elections next year, however, may see some reduction in SNP MSPs as the Greens and SSP will pick up a lot of votes on the list.

Just out of interest Ragged do you live in Scotland or are you an interested bystander so to speak?

Apparently the UK General Election of 1955 was the last time the Conservatives won the most seats in Scotland. In recent times, the rural parts of Scotland have tended to be more lib dem (it will be interesting to see how many retain their seats at the forthcoming election).

The SNP have been in government in Scotland since 2007, with an outright majority since 2011 (under an electoral system designed to prevent majority governments) so we're not unfamiliar with how they actually perform, as opposed to what they say they'll do. And, in the main, they do do what they say they will.

We like that our gvt spend some of our education budget on free tuition.

We like that some of our NHS budget goes on free prescriptions, and on free personal care.

We like that a major engineering project (the new Forth crossing) is being completed early and underbudget, with the savings going to start duelling the A96.

They're not perfect, nobody is. But yes, they're massively popular, and not just for indy purposes.

Oodear the Pandas are extremely popular...

My impression is that people may well by conservative, but not Consevative IYSWIM.
SNP policies vary IMO from more right of centre to more left of centre.

As I cannot vote in the GE (not British) I am looking forward to following the campaign and public debate without needing to consider my own vote .
The outcome will of course affect me too

The SNP seem to veer from left to right, depending on what suits their agenda at the time. Dh has always referred to them as Tories in kilts.
I'm in Scotand, and have no ide a which way I'm going to vote at the election, heart says labour, heart says tactical vote to get Cameron out, head say "are you kidding-Milliband would be worse". Feck knows

And of course as the joke goes we have more pandas in Scotland than Tory MPs.

I love that

Scots have traditionally been more left wing than the rest of the country.

Many people have bad memories of the actions of the Conservative government during the 1980s.

And of course as the joke goes we have more pandas in Scotland than Tory MPs.

As for the SNP, they are generally considered to have done fairly well in the Scottish government.

Who knows how the General Election will go though, it'll be interesting to see.

Well seeing as a lot of people voted for the SNP and then didn't vote for independence... I'm guessing they are actually voting for their other policies.