History In The Making

Another election is consigned to the history books. And it will be referenced as one of the most remarkable elections of all time.

When the campaign started six long weeks ago, it looked as if Labour were heading towards having the largest number of seats in Holyrood. Fast forward to 16.00 this afternoon and the SNP have an unprecedented majority.

Anyone with a passing interest in Scottish politics will have witnessed how things in the campaign (Subway-gate) started to go against Iain Gray. So a Labour defeat would have come as no surprise.

What definitely came as a surprise was the sheer scale of the defeat and the SNP victory.

From the initial victories in Labour heartlands in South Lanarkshire, to the last gains in Labour heartlands in Fife the results were one way traffic. Or a tsunami, which became the favourite phrase of the night. Perhaps ironically, the seat that gave the SNP overall majority was Kirkcaldy, right in Gordon Brown’s backyard.

The Labour vote actually held up quite well despite the lacklustre and negative campaign they conducted. It was just that the SNP vote sky rocketed.

The reason for this was probably three-fold. Firstly the Lib Dem voters brought retribution to the party for their part in the coalition and walked en bloc to the SNP. Secondly the SNP fought, for the most part, a positive campaign. And finally there is the S factor. Salmond. He was head and shoulders above the other party leaders throughout this election campaign and looked the only one suitable of holding the keys to Bute House.

Firmly on Salmond’s radar now, is a referendum on Scottish independence.

Now that is a referendum worth having!