Chaos At The Counts Mars A Night Of Success For The Snp (from The Herald Election Site)

TENS of thousands of rejected ballot papers in the Holyrood election and computer breakdown threatened to throw the Holyrood and council results into chaos early this morning.

In the relatively few results that were announced through the night, the SNP vote surged, but without a collapse of Labour's support. Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon were among the SNP's most high-profile victors in Gordon and Govan.

Labour leader Jack McConnell was the first MSP to have his result declared last night, winning Motherwell and Wishaw despite a 7% swing to the SNP.

Rejected and spoiled ballot papers were running at around 1000 in most seats, and as high as 1850 ballot forms in Glasgow Baillieston. The problem could have rendered around 75,000 votes invalid, and that dragged down the official turnout figure.

Concerns about the reliability of the count follow protests raised over recent days about delays in sending out postal votes. The controversy is linked to redesign of the Holyrood ballot form, and possible voter confusion with the radically changed voting system for councils.

Apart from those problems, the Western Isles count was delayed until 10am due to problems in flying ballot boxes from Barra to Stornoway.

Although the change in voting forms was disputed by the Scottish Executive, the decision on it lay in Whitehall, and Scotland Office minister David Cairns insisted on going ahead. Ministers also ignored widespread advice to split the day of the Holyrood voting from the new-look council elections.

Mr Cairns said last night the Electoral Commission will have to look into the problem, and Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander said he had already asked the election watchdog to look into postal vote problems.

Mr Salmond, having gained the Gordon constituency from the LibDems on a swing of nearly 6%, said the decision to run two electoral systems on the same day was wrong.

He was heavily critical of the postal voting arrangements for the election, describing them as "totally inadequate".

He added that the decision to conduct a Single Transferable Vote (STV) election at the same time as a first past the post ballot for the Scottish Parliament was "deeply mistaken". "As a direct result tens of thousands of votes across Scotland have been discounted this evening," he said.

"With the SNP gaining seats, he went on to say: "There is a wind of change blowing through Scottish politics . . . a new politics is dawning in Scottish confidence."

SNP results were patchy, failing to take its top target of winning Galloway and Upper Nithsdale from Tory Alex Fergusson, or the number three target of Labour-held Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. The gains from Labour included Dundee West while holding Dundee East, making it the first all-Nationalist city. Deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon won Glasgow Govan from Labour's Gordon Jackson, its first general election win in the city. Willie Coffey won Kilmarnock and Loudoun from Labour's Margaret Jamieson.

Tricia Marwick gained Central Fife from Labour's Christine May, and Bruce Crawford came from third position to take Stirling from Sylvia Jackson of Labour on a 9% swing.

Tory Deputy Presiding Officer Murray Tosh failed to win his party's top target of Dumfries, which remained with Labour's Elaine Murray.

The LibDems had a disappointing night of results. Although they gained Dunfermline West from Labour, they lost Gordon to Alex Salmond and both their Borders seats were in doubt.

Labour faced SNP swings ranging from 4% to 15%, in the case of the Airdrie and Shotts seat where Labour faced pressure over changes to Monklands hospital services but still won.

Labour's majority in Glasgow Kelvin was slashed to 1207, and in Glasgow Anniesland, held by the late Donald Dewar, there was a 4% swing from Labour to SNP.

i see that you west of scotland drones are falling in behind your labour masters who have served you so well in the past.for gods sake, get off your knees

Seems the SNP's promises to curtail Edinburgh and the east coast have not exactly gone to plan? Perhaps next time, promises of free cars and 42inch plasma TVs for the west coast might work? :-)

My wife said the Scots were to used to their handouts from Westminister to really suport the SNP , I guess she is right and I was wrong.

GLASGOW ONCE A FOOL ALWAYS. ROLL ON THE NEXT GENARATION MAY,BE THE 1 AFTER THAT BACKWARD CITY HOLDING NATION BACK EXLUDING ALL ENLIGHTENED

Coloniser's Rule #1: Give the natives blankets and booze.

pi$$-up... brewery... what an utter disgrace.

I wonder how many list MSPs from the spoilt paper party will be returned?

Watching from Singapore, this is hugely disappointing, the SNP promise is failing to materialise and it looks like another 4 years of Labour, Huge amount of spoilt papers too, for a country so small when we mess up we mess up big time. Total shambles and it's going to go on for a while.

Absolute and complete shambles! We can see (if it is the fault of the voters) that Labours tough talk on education really has fallen through for the last 8 years! If it is the fact that the electorate are confused about the papers, they need to separate the days of the two elections so as to "help" the electorate! Complete and utter disgrace! Footnote: We are number 1 for most bad things in Europe this looks like another one...

Absolute and complete shambles! We can see (if it is the fault of the voters) that Labours tough talk on education really has fallen through for the last 8 years! If it is the fact that the electorate are confused about the papers, they need to separate the days of the two elections so as to "help" the electorate! Complete and utter disgrace!

Footnote: We are number 1 for most bad things in Europe this looks like another one...

Aye, Ok spoilt papers are a headline. [bold] But the big issue turn out is often less than 50%![/bold] This is democracy in action? I think there is a big issue here which the media is blind to. This election shows again that the majority of people believe - everything's perfect (ho ho) - or the people feel that they have no voice in party politics that can change things. Great weather, hot topic of nation and Independence - yet the majority of Scots are disenfranchised and voiceless. Of course our 24hr democracy has now ended from another 4-5 years, while we will continue to moan about our lot to deaf ears. However, the fight for local, meaningful, daily democracy continues - and for people to have a real voice in their affairs. [bold]I was thrilled to vote Communist[/bold] , and hope more people gain confidence that their voice and aspirations in their community actually matters - irrespective of their status or location.

Aye, Ok spoilt papers are a headline.

But the big issue turn out is often less than 50%! This is democracy in action? I think there is a big issue here which the media is blind to.

This election shows again that the majority of people believe
- everything's perfect (ho ho)
- or the people feel that they have no voice in party politics that can change things.

Great weather, hot topic of nation and Independence - yet the majority of Scots are disenfranchised and voiceless.

Of course our 24hr democracy has now ended from another 4-5 years, while we will continue to moan about our lot to deaf ears.

However, the fight for local, meaningful, daily democracy continues - and for people to have a real voice in their affairs.

I was thrilled to vote Communist , and hope more people gain confidence that their voice and aspirations in their community actually matters - irrespective of their status or location.

No really clear picture yet but Alex Salmond's victory helicopter ride to Edinburgh planned for this morning will have to be at least postponed if not cancelled.

My only comment is that I have no comment - as an ex-pat I am involved in politics [bold]where I live[/bold] . I find it quite pathetic that so many Scots exiles are happy to pontificate about politics in a country which they have chosen not to live in. I'm not disinterested, of course - just aware that Scotland "stands not where it did " when I left it (and amazingly it seems to have survived my departure!) Hope they get the spoilt ballots sorted out, though.

My only comment is that I have no comment - as an ex-pat I am involved in politics where I live . I find it quite pathetic that so many Scots exiles are happy to pontificate about politics in a country which they have chosen not to live in. I'm not disinterested, of course - just aware that Scotland "stands not where it did " when I left it (and amazingly it seems to have survived my departure!)

Hope they get the spoilt ballots sorted out, though.

The voting system wasn't broke and the politicos took and fixed it. And now they'll fix stuff for us for another four years.

There has to be an official enquiry into this election and the shameful way that the ruling coalition ignored, as per usual, the good sense of those who told them that it was bound to result in a mess. The turnout was very low - and this does reflect the failure of the media to report the issues that are most important. The political parties and the media tend to feed off each other - the parties very often determining what issues `matter` from media covereage - and an incestuous relationship between political journos and their media masters has developed (largely because of advertising revenue) with those they perceive as political power brokers. One way to look at it is to see that west central Scotland voters have gone back to nanny, to use a Neil Kinnock phrase - another is to recognise that the SNP and the other opposition parties did not do enough to actually oppose when they were in the parliament, and made false assumptions about some of the aspirations and fears of voters. I certainly think that the SNP, and not just its `political gladiators` needed to do more in the way of negative campaigning against NuLabour, and their policies, specifcally their control agenda. Log on to YouScotland.com and add your voice to the call for an international enquiry into the preparations and conduct of this election. Anything less will be the usual waste of time, effort and money. YouScotland.com - the New Enlightenment begins online. Goodness knows, people need to lead, not follow, the political agenda.

There has to be an official enquiry into this election and the shameful way that the ruling coalition ignored, as per usual, the good sense of those who told them that it was bound to result in a mess.

The turnout was very low - and this does reflect the failure of the media to report the issues that are most important. The political parties and the media tend to feed off each other - the parties very often determining what issues `matter` from media covereage - and an incestuous relationship between political journos and their media masters has developed (largely because of advertising revenue) with those they perceive as political power brokers.

One way to look at it is to see that west central Scotland voters have gone back to nanny, to use a Neil Kinnock phrase - another is to recognise that the SNP and the other opposition parties did not do enough to actually oppose when they were in the parliament, and made false assumptions about some of the aspirations and fears of voters. I certainly think that the SNP, and not just its `political gladiators` needed to do more in the way of negative campaigning against NuLabour, and their policies, specifcally their control agenda.

Log on to YouScotland.com and add your voice to the call for an international enquiry into the preparations and conduct of this election. Anything less will be the usual waste of time, effort and money.

YouScotland.com - the New Enlightenment begins online. Goodness knows, people need to lead, not follow, the political agenda.

Morning Folks, I'm ashamed to admit I was born and raised in Glasgow. I'm working hard now to lose the accent so I'm not associated with that place any more. It's good to see Labours education policy is working just fine though, keep them ignorant and feed them handouts. Well done to all the other parties for a decent campaign. When are we going to do something about the media coverage regarding elections? The garbage churned out by the tabloids during this farce of an election has been obscene and needs to be stopped, god alone knows how...

Morning Folks,

I'm ashamed to admit I was born and raised in Glasgow.
I'm working hard now to lose the accent so I'm not associated with that place any more.
It's good to see Labours education policy is working just fine though, keep them ignorant and feed them handouts.

Well done to all the other parties for a decent campaign.

When are we going to do something about the media coverage regarding elections? The garbage churned out by the tabloids during this farce of an election has been obscene and needs to be stopped, god alone knows how...

The biggest disappointment is the low turnout - are people so disenchanted with politics in Scotland? Is there really no hope in a brighter future? Well, you will get what you deserve and should not complain about it. Voting is a right and a priviledge - use it for goodness' sake!

It would be easy to blame the Executive and the McConnell cabinet for this fiasco. However, it ain't their fault. The Holyrood elections are the responsibility of Westminster and the Scottish Office. I look forward to the resignation of Douglas Alexander and David Cairns for this shambolic disregard for the democratic process. The country truly is an international laughing stock: Postal voting forms undelivered Computer failures An appalling number of spoilt ballot papers, often greater than the winning margin of the FPTP victor. Elections, regardless of the result are precious, and whoever eventually forms a new Scottish government will find their four years of power tainted. I have to say I simply don't buy the idea that this has caused so much confusion - this is after all the third time the elctorate have voted in this way, and for the number of spoilt papers to jump ten or twenty fold is both frightening and suspicious. I dread to think how many spoilt ballots will be recorded in the council results. Could this not have been simply avoided by handing each member of the elctorate a single ballot sheet three times consecutively while explaining what is required each time? Are people who fail or choose not to select a FPTP candidate having their regional preference automatically discounted?

It would be easy to blame the Executive and the McConnell cabinet for this fiasco.

However, it ain't their fault. The Holyrood elections are the responsibility of Westminster and the Scottish Office. I look forward to the resignation of Douglas Alexander and David Cairns for this shambolic disregard for the democratic process. The country truly is an international laughing stock:

Postal voting forms undelivered
Computer failures
An appalling number of spoilt ballot papers, often greater than the winning margin of the FPTP victor.

Elections, regardless of the result are precious, and whoever eventually forms a new Scottish government will find their four years of power tainted.

I have to say I simply don't buy the idea that this has caused so much confusion - this is after all the third time the elctorate have voted in this way, and for the number of spoilt papers to jump ten or twenty fold is both frightening and suspicious.

I dread to think how many spoilt ballots will be recorded in the council results. Could this not have been simply avoided by handing each member of the elctorate a single ballot sheet three times consecutively while explaining what is required each time? Are people who fail or choose not to select a FPTP candidate having their regional preference automatically discounted?

syd glen wrote:
i see that you west of scotland drones are falling in behind your labour masters who have served you so well in the past.for gods sake, get off your knees

Gies a break Syd, 4 list msp`s and nicola in govan!
Still all to play for mate, keep the faith!

Well, the SNP haven't made gains where they wanted to (for example Kelvin and Cumbernauld), but have gained some surprising seats (Stirling). The key is in the List votes, SNP won 4 out of 7 in Glasgow. That is a massive vote, so if that carries on and the same pattern carries on in the consituencies, it is going to be a very close competition.

Well, the SNP haven't made gains where they wanted to (for example Kelvin and Cumbernauld), but have gained some surprising seats (Stirling).

The key is in the List votes, SNP won 4 out of 7 in Glasgow. That is a massive vote, so if that carries on and the same pattern carries on in the consituencies, it is going to be a very close competition.

[quote][bold]Neil Young[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]syd glen[/bold] wrote: i see that you west of scotland drones are falling in behind your labour masters who have served you so well in the past.for gods sake, get off your knees[/quote] Gies a break Syd, 4 list msp`s and nicola in govan! Still all to play for mate, keep the faith![/quote] Oh yes Neil great strives forward and much appreciation to all who worked hard to make the gains down there. your right it's not all over yet...I just wonder what it's going to take to break the mindset of people there?

Neil Young wrote:

syd glen wrote: i see that you west of scotland drones are falling in behind your labour masters who have served you so well in the past.for gods sake, get off your knees
Gies a break Syd, 4 list msp`s and nicola in govan! Still all to play for mate, keep the faith!

Oh yes Neil great strives forward and much appreciation to all who worked hard to make the gains down there.

your right it's not all over yet...I just wonder what it's going to take to break the mindset of people there?

Muppet in human form, Douglas Alexander commented after the second result came in and the number of spoiled ballots was 'exceptionally high' that he would ask the electoral commission to "have a look at it." "Have a look at it", how about tendering your resignation for starters, how about an inquest into the leaked "Keep the voters in a state of

Muppet in human form, Douglas Alexander commented after the second result came in and the number of spoiled ballots was 'exceptionally high' that he would ask the electoral commission to "have a look at it."

"Have a look at it", how about tendering your resignation for starters, how about an inquest into the leaked "Keep the voters in a state of

That's it.

If the SNP aren't the biggest party in Scotland at the end of today, I totally give up on being a Scot.

Fear"?

Curse this Herald site and it's inability to put an edit button in!

What happened to this SNP landslide that all the scot nats were banging on about

ITS TIME!............(if we get the last couple of votes and if the lib dems come in with us)

Long live the union!

Lets be honest reader, the idea of having TWO elections on the same day is nuts.

I reckon the way it "is" would have been the same anyway. BUT we really do need to look into this.

As one or two of the previous comments have established, the turn-out is a disgrace. I'm sure there are many intelligent and principled people who for some reason or another didn't vote... but if people are so disillusioned, it would be good to see a bit more initiative and effort put into making politics more than it currently is (admittedly the usual purile mud-slinging hasn't been as bad as [italic]I[/italic] expected). I think it's everyone's responsibility in taking action to improve our country - not just through 'formal politics' of couse - instead of not voting and letting others decide for you! It's a question of pride as much as anything else! We'll see how the regional lists come out and all the late counts (what a shambles indeed!)... but fingers crossed for an SNP government! I'm not sure I can take much more of the present nonsense.

As one or two of the previous comments have established, the turn-out is a disgrace. I'm sure there are many intelligent and principled people who for some reason or another didn't vote... but if people are so disillusioned, it would be good to see a bit more initiative and effort put into making politics more than it currently is (admittedly the usual purile mud-slinging hasn't been as bad as I expected). I think it's everyone's responsibility in taking action to improve our country - not just through 'formal politics' of couse - instead of not voting and letting others decide for you! It's a question of pride as much as anything else!

We'll see how the regional lists come out and all the late counts (what a shambles indeed!)... but fingers crossed for an SNP government! I'm not sure I can take much more of the present nonsense.

[quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: What happened to this SNP landslide that all the scot nats were banging on about ITS TIME!............(if we get the last couple of votes and if the lib dems come in with us) Long live the union![/quote] Hear Hear!!! SNP flop. No way they'll take power now. Well done the people of the West for seeing through the Tartan Tory lies

Real Scot wrote:
What happened to this SNP landslide that all the scot nats were banging on about ITS TIME!............(if we get the last couple of votes and if the lib dems come in with us) Long live the union!

Hear Hear!!!

SNP flop. No way they'll take power now.
Well done the people of the West for seeing
through the Tartan Tory lies

come on people.....how difficult is it to follow a few simple instructions on how to use the ballot papers properly...its not that hard. Over 100,000 spoilt ballot papers!!

Another Florida style election fiasco, 100,000 SNP votes gone.

Shame, shame,shame

For all flag waving ex pats - Come and live and work in Scotland before you make comments of any form please. SNP will only lead Scotland to higher taxes and disappointment as they fail to deliver on empty promises to and spend valuable resources trying to drive Scotland backwards. Thanks god the failed westminster parliementarians in Holyrood have no tax raising powers yet?? I do agree the election processes have been shambolic. To encourage Paul at someone elses Hoose- We wll always be Scottish but as a union we at least can compete globally. Yes historically we have been stronger but we need to look forward.

For all flag waving ex pats - Come and live and work in Scotland before you make comments of any form please. SNP will only lead Scotland to higher taxes and disappointment as they fail to deliver on empty promises to and spend valuable resources trying to drive Scotland backwards. Thanks god the failed westminster parliementarians in Holyrood have no tax raising powers yet??
I do agree the election processes have been shambolic.

To encourage Paul at someone elses Hoose- We wll always be Scottish but as a union we at least can compete globally. Yes historically we have been stronger but we need to look forward.

Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?

Today our election results are a laughing stock. Remember that this computer shambles was the responsibility of the Scotland Office not the Scottish Parliament. Whoever gets into power must take control of the Scottish Civil Service from London.

1 000 spoiled votes is understandable.
10 000 is a shambles and points suspicion at the system.
100 000 indicates Scotland is growing bananas.

Another Florida style election fiasco, 100,000 SNP votes gone.

Shame, shame,shame

For uncensored news please bookmark:

www.wsws.org
www.takingaimradio.info
otherside123.blogspot.com
www.onlinejournal.com
www.globalresearch.ca

[quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?[/quote] Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it? Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour! Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing their with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".

Real Scot wrote:
Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?

Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it?

Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour!

Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing their with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".

[quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?[/quote] Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it? Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour! Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing there with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".

Real Scot wrote:
Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?

Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it?

Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour!

Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing there with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".

Thank God the SNP's not going to get its dirty little tartan fingers on my hard-earned £££'s. Status quo ante fuit :D

Independance--when we cannot even run an Election properly?

Did anyone see the hysterical reactions of the victorious Labour MSPs for Baillieston and Anniesland? I hope many people who voted for them now regret doing so. Their reactions were more suited to a Junta or an eastern European farce from Kazakhstan. All the threats and intimidation were completely out of order and recriminations. Like how dare someone challenge the hegemony of the Labour Party? If that is the calibre of the candidates put forward by Labour then it remains a party in intensive care. We need candidates that are articulate, well read, that offer us hope and belief, have humility and humour and humanity. Those 2 labour buffoons were an emberassment to themselves and the voters and Country.

Did anyone see the hysterical reactions of the victorious Labour MSPs for Baillieston and Anniesland?

I hope many people who voted for them now regret doing so.

Their reactions were more suited to a Junta or an eastern European farce from Kazakhstan. All the threats and intimidation were completely out of order and recriminations.

Like how dare someone challenge the hegemony of the Labour Party?

If that is the calibre of the candidates put forward by Labour then it remains a party in intensive care.

We need candidates that are articulate, well read, that offer us hope and belief, have humility and humour and humanity.

Those 2 labour buffoons were an emberassment to themselves and the voters and Country.

Having work so many years for the development of the West of Scotland I can only be disapointed. When will the people of the West of Scotland understand that the best way to change things and develop economicallly and socially is voting for alternatives. Having the same polititians for decades only creates local mafias that look for themselves instead of implement new projects. Change is politically heathly.

Bugger this. Here's the silver linings. Salmond decimating the Lib Dems in Gordon, despite all the 'inside' mince last night on here. Sturgeon taking Govan and dispatching Gordon Jackson back to a life of poverty as the highest earning QC in the country. Alan Wilson getting humped by 48 votes, how cultured was that? Dundee East and West being won and held by the SNP, no Labour party north of Perth? No Rosie Kane Not Tangerine Tam Collapse of the frankly scary Christion God is my Washpot Party Election of Scotland's first Asian MSP...SNP Councillors Joan Mitchell Lib Dem and Council Leader Tommy Sloan (Lab) being consigned to subsidy faming and the dole in Dumbfreaks and Galloway. Bridget McConnell's new hairdo, who'd have thought she'd look humpable as a blonde? So, in conclusion, I'm all for this it's two elections for the price of one, SNP up in the popular vote, a spit off their total in 2003 and roughly half the votes to go. [bold] IT'S STILL TIME.[/bold]

Bugger this. Here's the silver linings.

Salmond decimating the Lib Dems in Gordon, despite all the 'inside' mince last night on here.

Sturgeon taking Govan and dispatching Gordon Jackson back to a life of poverty as the highest earning QC in the country.

Alan Wilson getting humped by 48 votes, how cultured was that?

Dundee East and West being won and held by the SNP, no Labour party north of Perth?

No Rosie Kane

Not Tangerine Tam

Collapse of the frankly scary Christion God is my Washpot Party

Election of Scotland's first Asian MSP...SNP

Councillors Joan Mitchell Lib Dem and Council Leader Tommy Sloan (Lab) being consigned to subsidy faming and the dole in Dumbfreaks and Galloway.

Bridget McConnell's new hairdo, who'd have thought she'd look humpable as a blonde?

So, in conclusion, I'm all for this it's two elections for the price of one, SNP up in the popular vote, a spit off their total in 2003 and roughly half the votes to go.

IT'S STILL TIME.

What an absolute fiasco. There must be an immediate international enquiry into this. Many had predicted 'problems' but had hoped in their hearts that we would have a free, honest, transparent system. [bold]WE HAVE NOT!![/bold] Those responsible must be investigated, named, shamed, and prosecuted. That is the minimum that will be acceptable to true Scots.

What an absolute fiasco. There must be an immediate international enquiry into this. Many had predicted 'problems' but had hoped in their hearts that we would have a free, honest, transparent system. WE HAVE NOT!! Those responsible must be investigated, named, shamed, and prosecuted. That is the minimum that will be acceptable to true Scots.

Ballot counting so far is a shambles - Perhaps they should go back to ballot papers that suit voters rather than ballot paper that suit computer systems.
After all, who cares about having a faster count ? - The amount of spoiled ballot papers is a disgrace.

Banana Republic--formally known as Scotland!

I'm just curious as to where Donald is going to emigrate to? I seem to remeber the 'If SNP don't win I'm Emigrating' type thing. Oh well one SNP voter less.... On the spoiled papers front- I'd say it's the law of Natural Selection - if they cannae work out how to vote properly (which wasn't that hard - lets face it!) then it's probably too dangerous to give them an opinion in the first place*. * this email may contain heavy amounts of sarcasm and may not be entirely serious.

I'm just curious as to where Donald is going to emigrate to?

I seem to remeber the 'If SNP don't win I'm Emigrating' type thing.
Oh well one SNP voter less....

On the spoiled papers front- I'd say it's the law of Natural Selection - if they cannae work out how to vote properly (which wasn't that hard - lets face it!) then it's probably too dangerous to give them an opinion in the first place*.

* this email may contain heavy amounts of sarcasm and may not be entirely serious.

[quote][bold]Paulo[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: What happened to this SNP landslide that all the scot nats were banging on about ITS TIME!............(if we get the last couple of votes and if the lib dems come in with us) Long live the union![/quote] Hear Hear!!! SNP flop. No way they\'ll take power now. Well done the people of the West for seeing through the Tartan Tory lies [/quote] Votes no' counted and labour crowin'..................yer a perr o' numpties....watch this space !!

Paulo wrote:

Real Scot wrote: What happened to this SNP landslide that all the scot nats were banging on about ITS TIME!............(if we get the last couple of votes and if the lib dems come in with us) Long live the union!
Hear Hear!!! SNP flop. No way they\'ll take power now. Well done the people of the West for seeing through the Tartan Tory lies

Votes no' counted and labour crowin'..................yer a perr o' numpties....watch this space !!

Cannot stomach all these ex-pats from Australia, Canada, France, etc coming on here and pontificating to the rest of us on who we should elect to run the country that they were all so eager to leave behind. The day you all departed for sunnier climes was the day you gave up the right to comment on how we run our affairs here in Scotland. At least one of you (Paul Madill, Australia) has the insight to recognise that. I'm also disappointed with all this anti-West Coast animosity. All you Nationalists sticking the boot into them are starting to make me glad the SNP aren't going to be able to form a Government. This is a democracy. People are allowed to vote for who they wish. They should be allowed to do so without being subjected to the kind of puerile abuse that you are spewing at them.

Currently Labour 32 seats, SNP 31.

I am no Labour man...not really just anti-nat....and it was the SNP fans on this forum for the last few weekswho were crowing about bye bye Jack 'Bliar' etc etc etc...so what if you become top party as long as you lot know that Independence wont happen in your lifetimes! 35% vote scot nat ,a third of them Iraq war protest ,50% turnout this says that Scots either dont want Independence or they dont care .....either way LONG LIVE THE UNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disenfranchised would-be postal voters? Rejected ballot papers? Counts suspened due to technical problems? There's not much else that could go wrong. The outgoing Lab/LibDem Executive are too incompetent to have done it deliberately, so it must be total incompetentence. Let'sl wait to see how many list seats the SNP wins before we consider demanding a re-run.

Disenfranchised would-be postal voters? Rejected ballot papers? Counts suspened due to technical problems? There's not much else that could go wrong. The outgoing Lab/LibDem Executive are too incompetent to have done it deliberately, so it must be total incompetentence.

Let'sl wait to see how many list seats the SNP wins before we consider demanding a re-run.

I had a postal vote and used it. The ballot papers were appalling, particularly the Holyrood one. I can easily see why there was confusion. A few days after I sent my vote, I got another set. This was through mail re-direction, fomr the address I left 6 months ago and told the authorities i had left. I even phoned them to tell them not to send the papers....they told me i'd need to write. I was scared by the way the BNP logo echoed the SNP one...I wonder how many of their votes were intended for the SNP. Has nobody picked up the fact that in Glasgow the SSP vote is smaller than the BNP one? Is that not a story? Funnily enough I was abroad on business yesterday. When I told the people I was meeting that the Nationalists were ahead in the polls, they assumed I meant the far right. I had to explain what nationalists were in Scotland, and it didn't really compute... Labour have shown supreme arrogance in this campaign. I voted SNP not because I have a visceral desire for independence, but because Labour will never learn humility whilst they think they are invincible. Leaving seats like Stirling unguarded to save face in key marginals is like General Custer at Little Bighorn. Their campaign was negative, and their tactics flawed.

I had a postal vote and used it. The ballot papers were appalling, particularly the Holyrood one. I can easily see why there was confusion. A few days after I sent my vote, I got another set. This was through mail re-direction, fomr the address I left 6 months ago and told the authorities i had left. I even phoned them to tell them not to send the papers....they told me i'd need to write.

I was scared by the way the BNP logo echoed the SNP one...I wonder how many of their votes were intended for the SNP. Has nobody picked up the fact that in Glasgow the SSP vote is smaller than the BNP one? Is that not a story?

Funnily enough I was abroad on business yesterday. When I told the people I was meeting that the Nationalists were ahead in the polls, they assumed I meant the far right. I had to explain what nationalists were in Scotland, and it didn't really compute...

Labour have shown supreme arrogance in this campaign. I voted SNP not because I have a visceral desire for independence, but because Labour will never learn humility whilst they think they are invincible.

Leaving seats like Stirling unguarded to save face in key marginals is like General Custer at Little Bighorn. Their campaign was negative, and their tactics flawed.

I think with same of those stronghold labour areas in the central belt who could have a chimpanzee standing as the labour candidate and they'd still win. Looks like we'll get another 4 years of Jack. God help us. They did hardly anything for us in the first eight years so I don't suppose anything will change. I'm glad that I still live in the best small country, or should I correctly say, county, in the world. We'll still have our parliament with limited powers. We are of course are too stupid and incompetent to dare even ask for any more powers. It is fitting therefore that we will have someone as stupid and incompetent as Jack McConnell to lead us in the next 4 years. I think we should go down the line of further unifcation with England. What's the point having a national football or rugby team when we seem to be so gutless to be an nation? Perhaps the English team should just represent the whole island. That's the way the whole world sees it anyway.

I think with same of those stronghold labour areas in the central belt who could have a chimpanzee standing as the labour candidate and they'd still win.

Looks like we'll get another 4 years of Jack. God help us. They did hardly anything for us in the first eight years so I don't suppose anything will change.

I'm glad that I still live in the best small country, or should I correctly say, county, in the world. We'll still have our parliament with limited powers. We are of course are too stupid and incompetent to dare even ask for any more powers. It is fitting therefore that we will have someone as stupid and incompetent as Jack McConnell to lead us in the next 4 years.

I think we should go down the line of further unifcation with England. What's the point having a national football or rugby team when we seem to be so gutless to be an nation? Perhaps the English team should just represent the whole island. That's the way the whole world sees it anyway.

[quote][bold]Oscar[/bold] wrote: Bugger this. Here's the silver linings. Salmond decimating the Lib Dems in Gordon, despite all the 'inside' mince last night on here. Sturgeon taking Govan and dispatching Gordon Jackson back to a life of poverty as the highest earning QC in the country. Alan Wilson getting humped by 48 votes, how cultured was that? Dundee East and West being won and held by the SNP, no Labour party north of Perth? No Rosie Kane Not Tangerine Tam Collapse of the frankly scary Christion God is my Washpot Party Election of Scotland's first Asian MSP...SNP Councillors Joan Mitchell Lib Dem and Council Leader Tommy Sloan (Lab) being consigned to subsidy faming and the dole in Dumbfreaks and Galloway. Bridget McConnell's new hairdo, who'd have thought she'd look humpable as a blonde? So, in conclusion, I'm all for this it's two elections for the price of one, SNP up in the popular vote, a spit off their total in 2003 and roughly half the votes to go. [bold] IT'S STILL TIME.[/bold] [/quote] "Dumbfreaks and Galloway" - LOL!! Well done Oscar!!! This is my favourite quote of the whole election campaign!!! Can have permission to use this in future conversations?

Oscar wrote:
Bugger this. Here's the silver linings. Salmond decimating the Lib Dems in Gordon, despite all the 'inside' mince last night on here. Sturgeon taking Govan and dispatching Gordon Jackson back to a life of poverty as the highest earning QC in the country. Alan Wilson getting humped by 48 votes, how cultured was that? Dundee East and West being won and held by the SNP, no Labour party north of Perth? No Rosie Kane Not Tangerine Tam Collapse of the frankly scary Christion God is my Washpot Party Election of Scotland's first Asian MSP...SNP Councillors Joan Mitchell Lib Dem and Council Leader Tommy Sloan (Lab) being consigned to subsidy faming and the dole in Dumbfreaks and Galloway. Bridget McConnell's new hairdo, who'd have thought she'd look humpable as a blonde? So, in conclusion, I'm all for this it's two elections for the price of one, SNP up in the popular vote, a spit off their total in 2003 and roughly half the votes to go. IT'S STILL TIME.

"Dumbfreaks and Galloway" - LOL!!

Well done Oscar!!! This is my favourite quote of the whole election campaign!!! Can have permission to use this in future conversations?

[quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: I am no Labour man...not really just anti-nat....and it was the SNP fans on this forum for the last few weekswho were crowing about bye bye Jack 'Bliar' etc etc etc...so what if you become top party as long as you lot know that Independence wont happen in your lifetimes! 35% vote scot nat ,a third of them Iraq war protest ,50% turnout this says that Scots either dont want Independence or they dont care .....either way LONG LIVE THE UNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote] Nothing like crowing before all the votes have been counted - Turnout is actually around 60% - Seems like there was an extra box on ballot papers for SNP voters ?Which read : Enter here to register you protest against the Iraq war ? How else can anyone come up with statistic to say one third of all SNP votes were a protest ?

Real Scot wrote:
I am no Labour man...not really just anti-nat....and it was the SNP fans on this forum for the last few weekswho were crowing about bye bye Jack 'Bliar' etc etc etc...so what if you become top party as long as you lot know that Independence wont happen in your lifetimes! 35% vote scot nat ,a third of them Iraq war protest ,50% turnout this says that Scots either dont want Independence or they dont care .....either way LONG LIVE THE UNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing like crowing before all the votes have been counted -

Turnout is actually around 60% -

Seems like there was an extra box on ballot papers for SNP voters ?Which read : Enter here to register you protest against the Iraq war ?
How else can anyone come up with statistic to say one third of all SNP votes were a protest ?

The victory speech of the Labour MSP at Anniesland was totally disgraceful. He was acting like some kind of nazi. Who would honestly want an a**ehole like that to be their constituency MSP? The labour party must have recruited him from a mental asylum. Was language was he trying to speak? Was it English? I wonder if his ballot paper was one of the spoilt ones or did someone direct him how to fill it in.

With pleasure Banana.

I agree with Jude Fawley, however obscure that is!

Of the unintelligable points made so far, one of the best is the correlation between ballot problems and Scotland's ability to govern itself independently. Come again!?! Westminster and the Scottish Office - as has already been pointed out - had a part to play in this, so even the most negative 'anti-nationalist' should realise an SNP-led administration/ independent Scotland could hardly do worse! Far from it.

Retired. You just dont see it. This was billed as the big SNP breakthrough. It hasn't happened. They may end up with more seats but their ultimate plan is split up the country. They haven't achieved it. They're finished! .In four years Iraq will be forgotten, the SNP will have to face the electorate on their performance in Holyrood. There will be no protest vote and the people will go back to their normal voting habits. The SNP is finished. If they couldn't convince enough people yesterdat they never will.

Retired.
You just dont see it. This was billed as the big SNP
breakthrough. It hasn't happened.
They may end up with more seats but their ultimate plan
is split up the country. They haven't achieved it.
They're finished! .In four years Iraq will be forgotten, the SNP
will have to face the electorate on their performance in Holyrood.
There will be no protest vote and the people will go back to their
normal voting habits. The SNP is finished. If they couldn't convince
enough people yesterdat they never will.

Well, if there's one thing I've learned from this election that we need more education, education, education. Yes, the great Scottish public are a bunch of idiots. Seriouly, how hard it is to read a couple of very simple pars telling you to put an X or a number on a sheet of paper? Anyone who can't follow instructions on that level really does need the benefit of an improved education system ASAP. So if all the bleating about spoilt papers is down to gross stupidity from people unable to follow the simplest of instructions just where do we point the finger of blame?! One thing's for sure, it's a sad indictment of our country that people aren't smart enough to manage three votes once every four years!

Well, if there's one thing I've learned from this election that we need more education, education, education.

Yes, the great Scottish public are a bunch of idiots. Seriouly, how hard it is to read a couple of very simple pars telling you to put an X or a number on a sheet of paper?

Anyone who can't follow instructions on that level really does need the benefit of an improved education system ASAP.

So if all the bleating about spoilt papers is down to gross stupidity from people unable to follow the simplest of instructions just where do we point the finger of blame?!

One thing's for sure, it's a sad indictment of our country that people aren't smart enough to manage three votes once every four years!

SCOTLAND BRANDED 'IDIOT STATE' BY UN ELECTION OBSERVERS

You could not make it up.

www.thedailymash.co.uk

Predictably the Labour drones come on here and crow about victory and take the election for granted and so this tells us 1) they have contempt for the electorate and don't really care so long as they get their leaders back into power - shows you what type of ideology exists among that shower, just greed and selfish power-**** 2) they don't care that their great leaders (for it is they) have managed to create an embarassing election that demonstrates just how incompetent their leaders are 3) they are so desperate they spoke too soon as I now look at SNP behind by one and every indication is SNP are dominating the regional list Serious point to make about democracy and I'll be interested for feedback. It's a conspiracy theory so I'm sure Labour drones will all say I'm in a fantasy land but did someone in Labour call this election and say 'lets fudge this as much as we can by new technology, new paper for parliament and new system for council' - it just seems too convenient for Labour that spoiled papers outnumber some leads ridiculous margins And, I just spoke to my father and mother and grandfather and my grandfather had trouble and thinks he's one of the 100,000 and my father thinks he made a mistake so has this disadvantaged ederly voters who have voted in a certain way for decades and all of a sudden its changed?

Predictably the Labour drones come on here and crow about victory and take the election for granted and so this tells us

1) they have contempt for the electorate and don't really care so long as they get their leaders back into power - shows you what type of ideology exists among that shower, just greed and selfish power-****

2) they don't care that their great leaders (for it is they) have managed to create an embarassing election that demonstrates just how incompetent their leaders are

3) they are so desperate they spoke too soon as I now look at SNP behind by one and every indication is SNP are dominating the regional list

Serious point to make about democracy and I'll be interested for feedback. It's a conspiracy theory so I'm sure Labour drones will all say I'm in a fantasy land but did someone in Labour call this election and say 'lets fudge this as much as we can by new technology, new paper for parliament and new system for council' - it just seems too convenient for Labour that spoiled papers outnumber some leads ridiculous margins

And, I just spoke to my father and mother and grandfather and my grandfather had trouble and thinks he's one of the 100,000 and my father thinks he made a mistake so has this disadvantaged ederly voters who have voted in a certain way for decades and all of a sudden its changed?

BTW

the censored word is just lvst as in 'lvst for power'

I'm not being vulagr, honest

Glasgow is not in Scotland. It is in Ireland.

Claypipe wrote:
Independance--when we cannot even run an Election properly?

A very good point Claypipe, a very good point indeed.

People not receiving their postal vote. Holding two different election systems at the same time. 100,000 spoil ballot papers. Delayed and abandoned counts, all compliments of the Scotland Office in London overrulling the Scottish Executive in Edinburgh. Yup. We've managed to create a banana republic within the union! ...and still the SNP is doing well. Regardless, when the SNP take control of West Dunbartonshire today, the first thing they should do, is hold an enquiry into the reduction of and distance between local polling stations. It was ridiculous, particulartly for the elderly and infirm, many of whom had given up their right to vote for that reason alone.

People not receiving their postal vote.

Holding two different election systems at the same time.

100,000 spoil ballot papers.

Delayed and abandoned counts, all compliments of the Scotland Office in London overrulling the Scottish Executive in Edinburgh.

Yup. We've managed to create a banana republic within the union!

...and still the SNP is doing well.

Regardless, when the SNP take control of West Dunbartonshire today, the first thing they should do, is hold an enquiry into the reduction of and distance between local polling stations.

It was ridiculous, particulartly for the elderly and infirm, many of whom had given up their right to vote for that reason alone.

32 seats for Labour, 31 for SNP....

It's almost time...

If/when the SNP win, I'm going to buy the wife champagne and celebrate a new dawn in Scottish politics....

As for the weegies, HANG YOUR HEAD IN SHAME YOU ID-CARD, IRAQ WAR SUPPORTING DRONES!!!!

As an expat Scot, much maligned by the comments of Archie from Dumfries, I need to put the record staright. Expat Scots do an enormous amount of work to promote our country internationally and to bring much welcomed revenue back into Scotland through imports and exports, education, tourism, etc. All true Scots have the right to seek self determination wherever they are based and have a strong interest and desire to set what is the correct course for Scotland. Get your facts right before making such bigotted statements. Dumfries went Labour. Say's it all, eh Archie?

As an expat Scot, much maligned by the comments of Archie from Dumfries, I need to put the record staright.
Expat Scots do an enormous amount of work to promote our country internationally and to bring much welcomed revenue back into Scotland through imports and exports, education, tourism, etc. All true Scots have the right to seek self determination wherever they are based and have a strong interest and desire to set what is the correct course for Scotland. Get your facts right before making such bigotted statements. Dumfries went Labour. Say's it all, eh Archie?

[quote][bold]Alex Cox[/bold] wrote: It would be easy to blame the Executive and the McConnell cabinet for this fiasco. However, it ain\\\\\\\'t their fault. The Holyrood elections are the responsibility of Westminster and the Scottish Office. I look forward to the resignation of Douglas Alexander and David Cairns for this shambolic disregard for the democratic process. The country truly is an international laughing stock: Postal voting forms undelivered Computer failures An appalling number of spoilt ballot papers, often greater than the winning margin of the FPTP victor. Elections, regardless of the result are precious, and whoever eventually forms a new Scottish government will find their four years of power tainted. I have to say I simply don\\\\\\\'t buy the idea that this has caused so much confusion - this is after all the third time the elctorate have voted in this way, and for the number of spoilt papers to jump ten or twenty fold is both frightening and suspicious. I dread to think how many spoilt ballots will be recorded in the council results. Could this not have been simply avoided by handing each member of the elctorate a single ballot sheet three times consecutively while explaining what is required each time? Are people who fail or choose not to select a FPTP candidate having their regional preference automatically discounted?[/quote] Alex - I agree 100% - the UK government is responsible for the conduct of Scottish elections, not the Scottish Executive (except in so far as they allowed the unwieldy, unfit-for-purpose system to happen without kicking up more of a protest). The Scottish parliament's own website couldn't be clearer:- http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/publicInfo/faq/QA142.htm

Alex Cox wrote:
It would be easy to blame the Executive and the McConnell cabinet for this fiasco. However, it ain\\\\'t their fault. The Holyrood elections are the responsibility of Westminster and the Scottish Office. I look forward to the resignation of Douglas Alexander and David Cairns for this shambolic disregard for the democratic process. The country truly is an international laughing stock: Postal voting forms undelivered Computer failures An appalling number of spoilt ballot papers, often greater than the winning margin of the FPTP victor. Elections, regardless of the result are precious, and whoever eventually forms a new Scottish government will find their four years of power tainted. I have to say I simply don\\\\'t buy the idea that this has caused so much confusion - this is after all the third time the elctorate have voted in this way, and for the number of spoilt papers to jump ten or twenty fold is both frightening and suspicious. I dread to think how many spoilt ballots will be recorded in the council results. Could this not have been simply avoided by handing each member of the elctorate a single ballot sheet three times consecutively while explaining what is required each time? Are people who fail or choose not to select a FPTP candidate having their regional preference automatically discounted?

Alex - I agree 100% - the UK government is responsible for the conduct of Scottish elections, not the Scottish Executive (except in so far as they allowed the unwieldy, unfit-for-purpose system to happen without kicking up more of a protest). The Scottish parliament's own website couldn't be clearer:-

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/publicInfo/faq/QA142.htm

'Claypipe' and 'bored with it all'... how can you possibly - and I repeat - link Scotland's aspirations to independence with an electoral system that was put into place by the Scottish Office and Westminster!?! Please try and make a more valid point.

John Pegron claims 'Another Florida style election fiasco, 100,000 SNP votes gone. Shame, shame,shame' John, why are you so sure that SNP voters are so much more stupid than others? You may be right of course! As an observation regarding the comments so far, it appears SNP activists loathe West Coasters more than they dislike English people.

John Pegron claims 'Another Florida style election fiasco, 100,000 SNP votes gone. Shame, shame,shame'

John, why are you so sure that SNP voters are so much more stupid than others? You may be right of course!

As an observation regarding the comments so far, it appears SNP activists loathe West Coasters more than they dislike English people.

After 50 yrs or more of labour in the West of Scotland, look at the mess of our schools, housing, security, etc., etc. they've done nothing to make anything better, until suddenly they find that parties like SNP can now take their power, and suddenly they want to invest in everything. Yes, here in the west we get the life those who vote Labour deserve.

Glasgow v The Rest...any other country would have a civil war. Choose your weapon. Glasgow awaits you.

[bold]To Real Scot.[/bold] By [bold]Real Scot[/bold] do you mean an Englishman living in Edinburgh? Cos I can't possibly understand how you could have the arrogance to even use the display name Real Scot and then spout some cant about Long Live the Union or some such nonsense. You and people like you are the main problem with Scotland today. If you really think the Union is that important buggeroff back to England, I'm sure they will welcome you with open arms! [bold]Pro Libertate[/bold]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To Real Scot.
By Real Scot do you mean an Englishman living in Edinburgh? Cos I can't possibly understand how you could have the arrogance to even use the display name Real Scot and then spout some cant about Long Live the Union or some such nonsense. You and people like you are the main problem with Scotland today. If you really think the Union is that important buggeroff back to England, I'm sure they will welcome you with open arms!

Pro Libertate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The weegies want to be the subjects of the queen, we should expatriate them forcibly to Buckingham palace's vicinity. Toadies the lot of them!!!!

Can anyone make any sense of this numpty (soooo nu-labour) paolo and his traitorous kin? 50 seats the last time; how many this time?? And yet these nu-labour chimps vote for them! You couldn't make it up. Still, they can always rely on the benefit claimants in Glasgow to give their votes. The union dividend indeed...

So just over half an hour until the counting starts again. What fresh madness awaits us?

Dunferino wrote:
The weegies want to be the subjects of the queen, we should expatriate them forcibly to Buckingham palace\'s vicinity. Toadies the lot of them!!!!

Paisley North - Labour hold
Paisley South - Labour hold

I think you should look closer to home Dunferino

[quote][bold]Philip[/bold] wrote: Can anyone make any sense of this numpty (soooo nu-labour) paolo and his traitorous kin? 50 seats the last time; how many this time?? And yet these nu-labour chimps vote for them! You couldn't make it up. Still, they can always rely on the benefit claimants in Glasgow to give their votes. The union dividend indeed...[/quote] The seditionists like you are the real traitors Phil. The SNP have lost. They should have swept the constituency vote. They will never get a better chance. Salmond and Sturgeon are light weights.

Philip wrote:
Can anyone make any sense of this numpty (soooo nu-labour) paolo and his traitorous kin? 50 seats the last time; how many this time?? And yet these nu-labour chimps vote for them! You couldn't make it up. Still, they can always rely on the benefit claimants in Glasgow to give their votes. The union dividend indeed...

The seditionists like you are the real traitors Phil.

The SNP have lost. They should have swept the constituency vote.
They will never get a better chance. Salmond and Sturgeon are
light weights.

The party who won in Scotland is "The Scunnart Party" the close to 1 million Scots who did not vote for politicians in whom we have no faith!

Thom

Wtf has happened to the SNP now? They are now down to 29 from 31?!
Very odd.

They are not just down from 31 to 29 but they
are also down and out despite the bleating on here
from the chookters

People were warned about the problems with the machines and that the new voting system would lead to problems but yet again, labour knew best and will now probably tell us all to stop moaning and that it has happened and they will have some limp inquiry into it. To all the people who voted labour. Well done. We will probably now have another 4 years of total incompetence and broken promises. Please do not moan when you find your local hospital gone.

[quote][bold]exiled scot[/bold] wrote: The biggest disappointment is the low turnout - are people so disenchanted with politics in Scotland? Is there really no hope in a brighter future? Well, you will get what you deserve and should not complain about it. Voting is a right and a priviledge - use it for goodness' sake![/quote] But your in france? Quite happy to give up your right to vote so what are you complaining about?

exiled scot wrote:
The biggest disappointment is the low turnout - are people so disenchanted with politics in Scotland? Is there really no hope in a brighter future? Well, you will get what you deserve and should not complain about it. Voting is a right and a priviledge - use it for goodness' sake!

But your in france? Quite happy to give up your right to vote so what are you complaining about?

bored with it all wrote:

Claypipe wrote: Independance--when we cannot even run an Election properly?
A very good point Claypipe, a very good point indeed.

.......spot the Scottish cringe.

......."However, the Arbuthnott Commission review of the Scottish voting system, published in January 2006, recommended that the Holyrood and council elections should not be held on the same day."

Then why were they? Why wasn't his picked up earlier? We really are pretty crap & I mean the LOT of us. God help us all.

Paulo wrote:
They are not just down from 31 to 29 but they are also down and out despite the bleating on here from the chookters

Arithmetic not your strong point........

Only 81 of 129 seats declared.......

[quote][bold]David[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Real Scot[/bold] wrote: Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?[/quote] Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it? Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour! Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing there with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".[/quote] Lets see some proof of these figures, David from Perth. Is that Perth Australia, or Perth near the middle of nowhere?

David wrote:

Real Scot wrote: Maybe the SNP could make the north east of Scotland Independent and break away on their own up there?
Yes please. Glasgow and the west coast wouldn't exactly be a loss to the rest of the country would it? Do you know that one third of Glasgow's citizens, their fathers and their father's fathers have never been in employment. And still they vote Labour! Glasgow - wake up, smell the coffee and get off your backsides and do something positive for once instead of standing there with your hands out saying "pleae sir, may I have some more".

Lets see some proof of these figures, David from Perth. Is that Perth Australia, or Perth near the middle of nowhere?