Scottish General Election

Differentforgirls · 2026-04-12T13:33:24+00:00

Who are Scottish people voting for next month?

celticnations · 15/05/2026 13:07

Re the stramash going on down south, I note with interest Burnham's comments re Scottish Independence - and increased devolution generally including in the English counties.

Basically he "understands it better having been Mayor". (Paraphrase).

celticnations · 10/05/2026 20:09

Anyone else getting fed up with the Westminster-centric constitutional debate re Starmer: will he, won't he, who'll replace him debate?

Like there's nothing else to be getting on with, is there?

🙄

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 15:39

SwirlyGates · 09/05/2026 15:35

The SNP and Greens are not single-issue parties - just because you voted for one of them doesn't mean you are necessarily pro-indy, and vice versa. You may have had other reasons for your vote.

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Agree. Which is the same for every other party. All the Unionist parties have Yes groups.

Which is why we need an actual referendum to measure support for each side.

Don’t know why Unionist parties are against it. If they know they will win then they should be demanding one to put it to rest.

However, they aren’t. Which suggests they know they will lose.

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SwirlyGates · 09/05/2026 15:35

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 08:37

Time will tell. Pro Indy majority.

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The SNP and Greens are not single-issue parties - just because you voted for one of them doesn't mean you are necessarily pro-indy, and vice versa. You may have had other reasons for your vote.

celticnations · 09/05/2026 15:17

With reference to Reform UK.

Been doing some research today - BelTel, Guardian, YT, Google & AI.

Tice & Habib (Reform UK) have said, quote "Devoloution does not work at any level. It undermines the Union".

Since those comments, Reform has toned down the rhetoric to "reducing back-room bloat" including reducing the size & power of the devolved governments.

Many unionists will support this.

The toning down is because both the police & Civil Service have warned of "possible uncontainable & widespread civil disorder".

Now the unhappy bit - for me anyway as I'm Northern Irish - DUP voters in Belfast are indicating that they will now vote Reform UK. SF has said that they will "vigourously pursue & argue for a Border Poll". The past's shadows are re-emerging. Slowly, yes but they are there.

I think we can all now see what a Reform UK PM will mean.

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 14:26

Coffeeandallthebooks · 09/05/2026 14:11

The National said:

There were 3,784,094 registered voters in the 2026 Scottish elections.
The overall turnout was 53.2%.
This is down 10.1% from the 2021 elections

More concerned that SNP got 27.2% of the list vote and 1 list MSP. I really don't like deHondt.

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I couldn't edit! Sorry.

It was obviously going to be down as 2021 was the highest ever turn out.

I do like DeHondt tbh, as when you look at the results at every election, it's %votes=%seats OVERALL.

I did think we'd get some seats on the list this year, but it wasn't to be.

I'd rather we won the most constituency seats. which we have.

Including Shetland which is a great win!

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Coffeeandallthebooks · 09/05/2026 14:11

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 13:05

The election actually had the second largest voter turn out in the history of the parliament.

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The National said:

There were 3,784,094 registered voters in the 2026 Scottish elections.
The overall turnout was 53.2%.
This is down 10.1% from the 2021 elections

More concerned that SNP got 27.2% of the list vote and 1 list MSP. I really don't like deHondt.

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 13:05

Coffeeandallthebooks · 09/05/2026 12:18

Of course the SNP vote is down, the number of voters is down full stop.

A third of Scottish Conservatives lost their deposit, I think that is much more telling.

And Reform didn't do as well here as they did in English council elections. It will be disappointing to have half of all First Minister's questions taken up by rants about immigration when it's a reserved matter, though.

As far as I know, JS intends to introduce a bill in Holyrood making the request for a Section 30 a formal Act of Parliament, so it doesn't matter where the pro-independence majority comes from as long as the bill passes.

I was surprised to see an interesting constitutional point raised on the BBC. Labour voted for the Brexit bill on the basis of the Brexit referendum being the will of the people. The Brexit referendum was a much smaller margin that the pro-indy vote has been, so is a larger mandate of the will of the people. I dont think there is a good answer to that.

Edited

The election actually had the second largest voter turn out in the history of the parliament.

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Coffeeandallthebooks · 09/05/2026 12:18

Of course the SNP vote is down, the number of voters is down full stop.

A third of Scottish Conservatives lost their deposit, I think that is much more telling.

And Reform didn't do as well here as they did in English council elections. It will be disappointing to have half of all First Minister's questions taken up by rants about immigration when it's a reserved matter, though.

As far as I know, JS intends to introduce a bill in Holyrood making the request for a Section 30 a formal Act of Parliament, so it doesn't matter where the pro-independence majority comes from as long as the bill passes.

I was surprised to see an interesting constitutional point raised on the BBC. Labour voted for the Brexit bill on the basis of the Brexit referendum being the will of the people. The Brexit referendum was a much smaller margin that the pro-indy vote has been, so is a larger mandate of the will of the people. I dont think there is a good answer to that.

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:52

Most Indy MSPS in the history of the Scottish Parliament 😊

www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/national/26092197.snp-msp-stephen-gethins-urges-parties-listen-voters-independence/

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GargoylesofBeelzebub · 09/05/2026 09:50

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:49

They’re hurting…

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sorry to burst your bubble. Pro Indy vote share is down. 🤣🤣🤣

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:49

celticnations · 09/05/2026 09:43

SNP + SG > Reform + Con + Lab + LD = Mandate.

😄

Edited

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They’re hurting…

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GargoylesofBeelzebub · 09/05/2026 09:45

celticnations · 09/05/2026 09:43

SNP + SG > Reform + Con + Lab + LD = Mandate.

😄

Edited

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No change in the number of pro Indy MSPs. Pro Indy vote share down. No mandate. 🤭

celticnations · 09/05/2026 09:43

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 09/05/2026 07:52

LMAO. Go on please do explain it to me then.

You have no mandate for another referendum and that’s all that matters.

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SNP + SG > Reform + Con + Lab + LD = Mandate.

😄

StrictlyCoffee · 09/05/2026 09:34

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:33

No it hasn’t. 🤣

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You don’t still think the SNP actually WANT independence do you?

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:33

Motheranddaughter · 09/05/2026 09:30

But with vote share down any chance of independence has retreated

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No it hasn’t. 🤣

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StrictlyCoffee · 09/05/2026 09:33

Who the hell voted Green?! What a motley crew. Q the non binary on a student visa and Iris Duane the fella built like a brick shithouse. Not to mention wacko Maggie Chapman who doesn’t know what sex she is and Lorna Slater who couldn’t manage a ginger bottle returns scheme. What a time to be alive

Motheranddaughter · 09/05/2026 09:30

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:26

And? They’ve been in Govt for 15 years and have another five ahead of them 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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But with vote share down any chance of independence has retreated

StrictlyCoffee · 09/05/2026 09:29

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 08:37

Time will tell. Pro Indy majority.

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They could have every seat in the parliament and they still won’t be getting a referendum. The UK government have to grant it. Tantrums and “I want” won’t work

Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:26

Motheranddaughter · 09/05/2026 09:01

SNP vote down

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And? They’ve been in Govt for 15 years and have another five ahead of them 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Original poster

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 09:22

Motheranddaughter · 09/05/2026 09:01

So?

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Just saying.

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AccidentallyWesAnderson · 09/05/2026 09:18

lifeinthelastlane · 09/05/2026 09:09

To me it suggests that the Scottish Greens will continue to focus more on issues like the GRA than on environmental policies, as they have been doing for the past 4 years.
could be wrong

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Yep. They don’t have a clue.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 09/05/2026 09:16

lifeinthelastlane · 09/05/2026 09:09

To me it suggests that the Scottish Greens will continue to focus more on issues like the GRA than on environmental policies, as they have been doing for the past 4 years.
could be wrong

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That’s my take too. Ugh.

GargoylesofBeelzebub · 09/05/2026 09:15

Differentforgirls · 09/05/2026 08:48

Two trans women elected.

One of whom doesn’t even have a right to work in Scotland as he’s on a student visa. 🤔

lifeinthelastlane · 09/05/2026 09:09

Motheranddaughter · 09/05/2026 09:01

So?

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To me it suggests that the Scottish Greens will continue to focus more on issues like the GRA than on environmental policies, as they have been doing for the past 4 years.
could be wrong