To wonder what the scots are thinking

[Ruperta]

If the exit polls are to be believed then tge Scots will have massively turned out in favour of SNP. This is less than 12 months after voting no to independence.

Why then vote SNP? Have they shot themselves in the foot or are the Scottish going to be protected from the welfare cuts that are going to be imposed on us? Are there NHS and education budgets more protected? Honest questions as I'm very confused!

Feeling very disappointed

jackie I think the last 50%+ vote in Scotland was for the Tories in 1955. So certainly within modern memory it is an amazing result.

I've seen a few other points I could respond to but I'm tired. I just want to say this: last night I saw the human side of politicians. I saw people jubilant as they won seats and I congratulate them. I saw many people (because isn't just the MP, the prospects for support staff aren't that great) lose their jobs. Publicly, on television, with pressure to hold it together and act with dignity. It was a shit night to be a Labour member, but I was so impressed with my (former) MP who just sat down and wrote his speech whilst the count went on and knowing how bad the results were across the country.

I had to put up with sympathetic looks from the Tories, but almost everyone at the count from all parties acted pretty decently (couple of triumphalist remarks, nothing more). It wasn't the night I wanted to have, and I hope the fall-out from the UK results isn't too bad, but I'm glad I was there. Whatever your politics, there was so much energy in that room (from losers as well as winners).

And now I'm off to finish my wine.

Labour deserved to lose in Scotland. They have been pretty appalling in Scotland

My Facebook has been odd today. Most of my friends are SNP voters and their posts are, one minute, 'this is great, so many MPs,' and the next, 'this is awful, another 5 years of the Tories.' So the mood is anything but completely celebratory.

I voted Green myself and I'm still not totally convinced by the SNP but it is striking that they have appealed to people from so many walks of life - many of the academics at the university where I work are SNP, so are lots of the janitors. You see a lot of daft shite on Facebook but this isn't a country populated by idiots. I know people all throughout the wealth spectrum who are SNP, English, Scottish, Irish, Greek, from the ME (though the latter 2 couldn't vote in the GE). I haven't caught the bug, but I'm curious to see how this pans out. It's a strange time.

OOAOMOL that sounds hard. Watching at home I can't look at the faces of the ones who lost - even though I was very happy with the results! They are all just people. (I struggled to apply this to the UKIP ones, I'm not a saint!)

I was chatting to an SNP voter who was always Labour previously and voted No in the indyref. He's happy to see how things go with further powers but then to call a halt on change if things go wrong.

The Scottish are like the Borg. I'm sure if the OP sends their question to 'Och Aye Central Offices' they will get the correct response to their question and this thread can be closed.

The fact we spent years debating the indy question, and have voted c.50% for one party, with the remaining 50% split between the other parties does rather illustrate that we are very far from Borg like. But thanks for the casual stereotyping.

I am hoping Edna actually meant that too and was being sarcastic rather than rude!

I recognise quite a few folk on here from the indyref threads

Not at all surprised by the result and completely recognise what PP have mentioned about FB and other social media.

V pleased that Neil Hay got defeated in Edinburgh South.

Lots of people on my feed getting ever so excited about how the SNP are going to go down to Westminster and start giving the Tories what for (one otherwise intelligent friend posted that she was cockahoop with joy) and what a fantastic result this is for Scotland. I think they are going to be sorely disappointed when they realise the SNP can't do very much at all.

I don't believe this is a vote for independence either. A significant proportion of folk who voted SNP won't want independence and I don't see that changing if there's another referendum. Happy to give my reasons why if anyone is interested.

could be iggi I'm still tired so not fully appreciating nuance just now.

I'm pretty sure Edna is being sarky :).

Another thing that strikes me is that this is possibly the best that the SNP will ever do in terms of seats gained; unless some new constituencies are created..which I suppose is possible, but unlikely.

The best they could ever do is 58. The other non nationalist parties (Lib Dems, Labour, Conservatives, Greens and I suppose UKIP) don't have that self-imposed limitation.

well then surely the SNP need a rebranding and to start sending candidates down south...... or a sister party

I don't see how the current situation will help independence.
The Conservatives have a good majority , they don't need any help from other parties.

Such a majority .

England - what were you thinking? And so many voting UKIP.

I wonder if the SNP would get votes if they stood in the rest of the UK?

I think you are right, Ubik. Cameron's majority means a majority on Select committees too, and few MPs will rebel against their party line on Committees or in Parliamentary votes.

On important matters, the Whip system will ensure that MPs vote as they are told - rebellion can and does happen, but not often - most MPs will not risk their parliamentary careers unless they feel incredibly strongly about something - and usually the party knows about these issues well ahead of time, during the formulation of new policy and the drafting of Bills, and will make minor adjustments to policy to appease their rebels, if there is a risk of the rebellion being big enough to defeat them in a vote.

Mostly, though, the MPs of all parties follow the instructions of their party Whips, in the lobbies (where parliamentary votes happen) and in committees. If you don't follow the Whips' instructions, you risk losing the party Whip - which is a big deal to an MP.

They will get more questions in the House, but they will not be able to force the Conservatives to do anything they don't want to do. Nor will Labour, who have nearly five times as many MPs. They have no weapon to use - no lever of power.

"They will get more questions in the House, but they will not be able to force the Conservatives to do anything they don't want to do. Nor will Labour, who have nearly five times as many MPs. They have no weapon to use - no lever of power."

Yes SDTG this is absolutely spot on. Especially considering that a large proprtion of these are new MPs with no experience of Westminster. I'd imagine they will be doing what they are 'telt' by Alex Salmond.

deeedeee interesting idea - I doubt they will do that, though.

Yes on reflection I think it is a right balls up, Scottish voted SNP but are now left with a Tory government who are not going to give an inch to SNP and will be a loggerheads implementing right wing policies

England voting Tory possibly because they were worried about the power of SNP with labour.

I'm English and honestly can't explain the Tory vote, maybe it was Ed, maybe a fear of SNP, maybe maybe the English just love a bit of austerity.

Terrible state of affairs though. I'm shocked by the volume of votes for UKIP - hopefully now Farage has resigned it will end that though (fingers crossed).

I can understand why the SNP vote was so strong. as a labour supporter i feel massively let down by both the scottish & english electorate! democracy hey! Wonder what the future holds.

deeedeee well then surely the SNP need a rebranding and to start sending candidates down south...... or a sister party

That is surely UKIP! Minus the IP bit, and the charisma of Farage, and the letting members think for themselves...otherwise, a match made in heaven!

Oh yes of course the SNP is just like UKIP.

-pro open immigration
-against Trident renewal
-anti austerity

• no university tuition fees
• free prescriptions

Yup lots in common with UKIP if you are a lazy thinker

I'm English too. I voted Labour for years when I lived in London. Then I moved to Scotland and it was a real shock. Such a bunch of smug, complacent dinosaurs. They cannot believe what has happened in the last 10 years. And they let it happen.

Ubik I think you're right about Scottish Labour. They took people's support for granted and the SNP have jumped into they gap they left.

The SNP seem to have tapped something deeper in some Scots though and I'm forcibly reminded of Billy Connolly talking about going to a hotel on Loch Lomond Side and listening to a bunch of men in Arran sweaters singing 'I'll be a Wild Rover'. I apologize if that's a Glasgow joke.

I'm not a lazy thinker in any shape or form Ubiq1, I simply don't hero worship the SNP. But since you think it, perhaps you could explain the SNP's party line on the principle of mutual recognition to me - Conservatives invented it - do the SNP support it or not?

I think its interesting that the Scots seem to follow a trend of voting for one party in very large numbers, often associating very strongly with the ethos of that party and what their friends and family are doing, for a lengthy period, and then seem to switch to another party.

For a long time, it was Conservative, although you have to go back to the 1940 and 50s. Then it was Labour - and a very intolerant support of Labour in many parts at that, similar to the SNP hero worship. Then Labour became corrupt, didn't deliver, constantly blamed Margaret Thatcher, whatever, and now its the SNP. Although in some areas that felt unable to vote Labour, it was Lib-Dem for many years too.

The outgoing "favourite" party is then denounced as the embodiment of all sins.

OneNight The SNP seem to have tapped something deeper in some Scots though and I'm forcibly reminded of Billy Connolly talking about going to a hotel on Loch Lomond Side and listening to a bunch of men in Arran sweaters singing 'I'll be a Wild Rover'. I apologize if that's a Glasgow joke.

I think its also worth noting that there is a split emerging between east and west Scotland, and urban and rural lowland Scotland. I've heard some people say that its a remnant of Irish immigration to Scotland in the past, particularly in places like Dundee and Glasgow. I don't know if anyone can provide any information as to whether that's likely to be true or not? Certainly I seem to know a real split between some wealthy rural East coast Scots, who are Conservative voters and quite vehemently anti-SNP/independence, and some west coasters, particularly men who have not done particularly well in their careers, it has to be said, and who are very left wing and feel that the world should be organised in a more convenient shape and form for their benefit.

I think there is a danger of over-emphasising the more voluble political supporter, and giving that single vote more importance than the quieter type of voter.