Devolution Matters

[barcode]

alot of people it seems have already started sending in there postal votes, and in some place there already start counting them.

it does seem the SNP will won ( as i said it anit going to be 60 seats ) Green and left party ( I HOPE for the love of god that the solicest labour party get bog all) will get a good number of votes aswell.

its been said that if wet Iain grey and bring some PASSION into his debates next week he might convince many labour voters to go out and vote,

What the FUCK is that crap supposed to mean?

A: like your good self people have already voted via postal vote and counting office has started to count them

B: SNP will not won 60 seats ( there may won )

C: Labour leader need Passion to get this voter out of the house to vote.

[barcode]

Winner party that will repersent of Scottish people will either be

* Centre left - left wing party that has hints of right wing policy
OR
* Centre left - left wing party that has hints of right wing policy

big choice here

[Nick Harvey]

Total silence from Mr Barcrud today, I note.

I'd have expected him to be on here crowing about all the Labour gains.

Oh, no, hold on a minute, there weren't any, were there?

Being true to type then!

[barcode]

Total silence from Mr Barcrud today, I note.

I'd have expected him to be on here crowing about all the Labour gains.

Oh, no, hold on a minute, there weren't any, were there?

Being true to type then!

Good morning to you my good sir, I been busy, been up late THERE have labour gains shocker but true" Eastwood" and it does look like Dunfermline will swing big time back form the lib dems.

As as said above your post: Two parties that can win are both: Centre left - left wing party that has hints of right wing policy. I can also point TORIES have lost gain and share of the vote in sunny Scotland.

I still dont like the SNP for one big reason, same reason many other dislike him: Alex, he just a SMUG git, but alas he is better than Ian grey who is a wet git.

Congrats to the SNP, on becoming the biggest party ( he anit going to get 64 seats)

He best twitter I have read this morning:

From Twitter: @StevieWardDrive says "SNP in charge in Scotland, Labour in Wales, Con-Dem running Westminster. United Kingdom? I think not."

[Gavin Scott]

I'm not going to try and put any gloss on Labour's failure in Scotland.

They had a poor campaign - full of dirty tricks by all accounts. Conversely the SNP had a positive campaign, and underscored their achievements over the last session.

And they convinced me, so they gained my vote.

Mr Gray has to go, and Scottish Labour have to work very hard to convince me again.

[marksi]

Reports suggest the Ulster Unionist Party is polling spectacularly badly. This is most likely caused by their attempt to make the DUP look moderate, and by their election last year of the Dullest Man in History to be party leader.

First results expected around 1500.

[scottishtv]

Congrats to the SNP, on becoming the biggest party ( he anit going to get 64 seats)

Top psephologist John Curtice said the Scottish Greens had not made a breakthrough on the regional list and that means there was more left for the SNP. His latest forecast is 67 seats for the SNP - an overall majority of two. He said: "It may all depend on the decimal points of the last few seats but it would be strange for the SNP not to get an overall majority."

[iSon]

And the SNP have ended up on 69 seats. Ironic that they've managed to obtain a majority in an electoral system that was created to prevent nationalist parties governing alone.

Labour ran a poor campaign with a less than charismatic leader - he was no Jack McConnell and it's fair to say that he was a fairly divisive leader! He's doing the right thing and going, I just hope they take this opportunity to reflect on what has gone wrong and ensure they don't fall back into presuming that things will naturally swing back their way.

However, all parties could have a lot to capitalise on. The now certain independence referendum could attract a lot of bad press to the SNP and will also serve to give the other parties and their supporters a voice against them. Also, there's the buzz word of cuts. It has been indicated that some of the privileges that we English look on with envious eyes could be at risk. But, their biggest issue will be living up to a second term and has proven as successful as their first. They have been able to show people throughout the campaign that an SNP government hasn't been a disaster but that doesn't mean they'll be forgiven for the unpopular decisions.

[Gavin Scott]

The independence referendum will be interesting - what I am most looking forward to is hearing the FACTS about the wealth of the nation, when various resources are factored in. This information is not generally well understood or discussed, except in broad nebulous hyperbole from both sides; and the only way to make an informed decision is to present the books to the public.

Is it the case that the SNP support would disintegrate if the nation returned a "no" to independence? I'm not sure it would - especially if they gain more control, including borrowing powers, in the next year or so and put that to good use.

Clearly full separation is the ultimate ambition for the SNP, but a pragmatic leader - which I believe Salmond to be - will serve the people's wishes, even if that is greater autonomy within the UK.

It honestly feels good in Edinburgh today. Feels like we have a purpose and certainty, in very uncertain times. That will certainly help as the next few years will be undoubtedly tough with necessary cuts to come.

[Alexia]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ire ... 476226.stm

The feed on this page is coming from a Sky box. I just saw the Sky miniguide appear and the channel change to BBC2NI's channel up in the 990s, which indicates it is coming from London.

Volume's way to high too.

[iSon]

I think if Alex Salmond plays it right then he can come out of this fairly well on either side. If he gets his ultimate independence ambition then he's a winner and so are the people as they will have voted for it.

However, if he doesn't then he can argue that it's all the more important to focus on Holyrood and ensure it's doing all it can to serve the Scottish people. As the debate about Scotland being more independent will already be out in the open then it would make the process of obtaining further law making powers that little bit easier.

Alex Salmond may not be the most likeable character but I don't think anyone could deny that he's a smooth operator.