Are the SNP about to take control of the Scottish Parliament

[vinyl 10]

A few minutes ago the SNP had made 19 seat gains and Labour had lost 9. It is going to be a close thing but the SNP looks likely to gain overall control of the Scottish Parliament.

 

What could this mean for devolution and the future of the UK Parliament at Westminster?

[alchresearch 215]

Radio 4 this morning said that if they win they want full independence.

[Chris_Sleeps 10]

Certainly interesting times ahead. The whole Union is at risk. Would they become a republic, or just politically independent?

[Mr Prime 10]

They would have to hold a referendum which would return a no. I think Scots voters want independence from Westminster but not independence from the UK.

[barny_100 10]

They would have to hold a referendum which would return a no. I think Scots voters want independence from Westminster but not independence from the UK.

 

Really? And I want a money tree for my garden!

 

They will find a way of avoiding the full independence issue as even they know they can't afford it...I think. If not it will be a rude awakening.

 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jeremywarner/100010146/scotland-would-be-as-bust-as-iceland-if-it-had-been-independent/

[Nagel 10]

I hope they get full independence and no more money from England and no more Scottish MPs in Parliament.

 

The referendum should be for the entire UK as I would certainly vote for it.

[Tipex 10]

Go alone Scotland...don't come looking for English handouts though, BYE.

[andikay 10]

What surprised me with this is that if Scotland becomes independent it does the conservatives a huge favour because they don’t have many seats there. On the news David Cameron said he will fight against an independent Scotland, from a party point of view that wouldn’t make much sense.

I thinks it’s time we had four separate parliaments were they all look after the interests of their own country but come together on issues that affect all four. We all ready have three all that’s left to do is create an English parliament.

[HeadingNorth 11]

What surprised me with this is that if Scotland becomes independent it does the conservatives a huge favour because they don’t have many seats there. On the news David Cameron said he will fight against an independent Scotland, from a party point of view that wouldn’t make much sense.

 

That could be because he cares about what is best for Britain, rather than what is best for the Conservative party.

[andyofborg 11]

That could be because he cares about what is best for Britain, rather than what is best for the Conservative party.

 

LOL

 

He cares about what the loopy right wing of his party, who still think we have an empire, would do to him if Scotland went it's own way.

 

The SNP may want independence, but the people of Scotland don't. They will hold the referendum, lose it and carry on like they have done over the last few years.

 

However, the SNP now have an overall majority in the Parliament, if they use this time to demonstrate that they can run Scotland and run it well, then they may be able to make a case for independence when the next referendum comes round.

[andyofborg 11]

The other point, is that the referendum wouldn't be binding whatever the result. Independence would require primary legislation in Westminster. However, I would hope that faced with a decisive vote for independence they would take the hint.

 

As it seems unlikely such a referendum would produce a vote for independence we seem to be obsessing about this for no particular reason. So let's move on to something productive like bashing Nick Clegg.

[Dan_Ashcroft 10]

The Conservatives are ideologically a unionist party.

 

Bizarelly if England went alone, the Tories would be unchallengeable. England is incredibly blue: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/, it's always Wales and Scotland that give Labour any hope of government.