The leader of the Scottish National Party (S.N.P.), Alex Salmond, made history as the first nationalist to gain power in the party's seventy-three years, when he was elected First Minister of Scotland May 16. He immediately attempted to silence those who doubt he can form a viable government by announcing his cabinet.
His election was a sign of how most votes might go in the parliament, with no party having a clear majority. But it also displayed that the S.N.P. is the only party that is truly putting what — they believe -- is best for Scotland first, and not what is best for their party — even if the S.N.P.'s view of what is best for Scotland differs from most Scots.
The S.N.P.'s main aim is a referendum on Scottish independence, allowing Scots to vote on splitting Scotland from the United Kingdom and going it alone. They believe that with the main power base in Westminster, Scotland isn't equal to England in the union, and that Scotland is not benefiting equally from council schemes, tax systems and most importantly profits from Scotland's off-shore oil-fields. Therefore the S.N.P. believe strongly that Scotland should split from the U.K. and be the independent state that thousands of our ancestors died painfully for.
The Green party agrees with them, but the other three main parties all disagree, as do I, having seen their policies made to look foolish by MP's opposing the split. But right or wrong, I truly believe the S.N.P. is seeking independence because they believe it is best for Scotland.
It is their desire for a referendum on independence that has made the Scottish Parliament a "parliament of minorities" as Alex Salmond called it. If the S.N.P. leadership was vainly seeking to put their party in a majority government of Scotland, they could have dropped the referendum in order to secure a coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The Lib Dem's sixteen seats added to the Greens 2 seats, would have given the S.N.P. a one seat majority, with 65 seats vs. the 64 shared between Labour and the Conservatives. But they held firm on the referendum, putting Scotland before the party.
Article comments
1 - A.L. Harper
Interesting Article. Just hope Salmond doesn't ruin Scotland. He didn't get my vote and I am disappointed he got in. I really doubt his ability to run this country.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Looks to me, A.L., that you're being taken on a "ride" you didn't put your shilling down for. Hope you enjoy it more than I have been the "rides" I've been taken on here in Israel.
Liam, excellent follow-up to you previous article on the elections to the Scottish parliament. Looks like you too are going to get to live in interesting times...
3 - Dr Dreadful
The prospect of any by-elections that may come up in Scotland suddenly got very interesting...
4 - Graham McKnight
The liberals will side with Labour as has been the case since Labour rejected its more radical left-wing policies such as nuclear dissarmament etc. I think this particular SNP government will be a short-lived one, unless Gordon Brown fails to restore credibility to Labour as a whole within the next year or so.
A good article, Liam.
5 - STM
The sad part about this is that Labour has always held a substantial majority in Scotland, and the vote for the SNP is largely seen as a protest vote and a backlash against the policies of Tony Blair. I have a friend, a professional political commentator, in Scotland who voted for them because he felt someone needed to send Blair a message, and couldn't bring himself to vote for the Scottish tories or the Lib-dems, or worse, the loony-left Greens.
His main fear now (and according to him along with other Scots who did the same thing) is that they might have gone a bit too far in handing the SNP its unexpected one-seat majority over Labour. The good thing is, on certain policies, the tories, lib-dems and Labour will have the majority vote over the SNP and its Greens allies. Any move for a referendum is likely to fail in the assembly before it even starts.
Quite rightly, because of the economic problems that would likely beset Scotland should it break away, he along with two thirds of Scots are against Scotland splitting from the Union. Many of these folk also point to the shared history of the four entities in the union, now so interlinked that any move to break it would spell disaster both for England and Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland is seen as a separate issue, and whose future depends on the current negotiations with the Irish Republic. Many in the other one third are only nominally in favour of a separate Scotland and think it would be good in principle but aren't sure they'd vote for it.
Judging by that polling, most Scots don't want to break the Union - but as he says, many would doubtless be happy with a tad more representation in Westminster. We'll see. Having two Scottish PMs in a row (Blair and Gordon Brown) is no sop, either.
I reckon that when the dust settles on the Blair era, Labour will go back to being the majority in the Scottish assembly. In the meantime, most of Salmond's policies will probably get through unless the loose opposition "coalition" gets into bed together for the first time on issues other than "independence".
That is what will be most the most interesting facet of Salmond's period in government.
6 - Graham McKnight
STM says: 'Many in the other one third are only nominally in favour of a separate Scotland and think it would be good in principle but aren't sure they'd vote for it.'
An interesting point, may I see your source for these claims of the percentage break-down in favour/ against/ not sure?
7 - S.T.M
No, you lazy bugger Liam, do your own research. You want to be a journo, don't you? :)
You know I'm right ...
8 - Liam Bailey
STM,
Have you been drinking?
It was Grahame McKnight that asked you to provide a source that a third of Scots want indpendence. It was I rhat originally quoted the figure based on opinion polls. But Grahame is right to ask... I asked you once how you felt secure in talking about all Scots, and you are attempting a similar feat now...
How can you speak for the third of Scots who support independence? As you say that they only nominally support it, in principle but aren't sure if they'd vote for it.
And, just while we're about it, you tell me to do my own research, you should take your own advice. Your long-winded comment spends most of its time saying what I have already said in the article, but with a load of added windbaggery.
9 - STM
"And, just while we're about it, you tell me to do my own research, you should take your own advice. Your long-winded comment spends most of its time saying what I have already said in the article, but with a load of added windbaggery."
Lol. If you're going to write about politics Liam, you must understand that hot air is the currency. I've been doing it for 30 years, so windbaggery is my forte.