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LAST UPDATE | 5 Jul 2024
THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL Party (SNP) has taken a beating in the UK general election, with most results in, as Labour followed through on its predicted landslide success.
The results see Labour overturn almost a decade of SNP dominance in Scotland’s Westminister seats, taking a majority of constituencies.
The SNP has so far done worse than the exit poll predicted, taking just nine seats, a huge drop from the 48 the party won in 2019.
This is a very disappointing result for the SNP. YouGov polling ahead of today’s vote had predicted the party would win 18 seats.
Reacting to the results, Scottish First Minister John Swinney pledged a period of “soul searching” after what he described as a “very poor” performance for the SNP.
“There will have to be a lot of soul searching as a party as a consequence of these results that have come in tonight.”
Swinney said the SNP has to be “better at governing on behalf of the people of Scotland”, adding that the party was not “winning the argument” on Scottish independence.
Reacting to the exit poll last night, former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said it was not a good night for her party.
“I think there will be a question about whether there was enough in the campaign to give out, effectively, a USP to the SNP in an election that was about getting the Tories out and replacing them with Labour.”
She added: “This is seismic for Labour. There’s no getting away from that, it’s a massive achievement for Keir Starmer.”
The SNP’s campaign centred around calls for talks on another independence referendum if the party won a majority of seats at the election.
SNP members had been saying in the lead-up to the election that if they won a majority it would show there was a mandate for another vote on independence.
Tonight’s losses are the latest in a series of setbacks for the SNP since their longtime leader Nicola Sturgeon was forced to resign in March last year.
Sturgeon was Scotland’s longest-serving first minister until her shock departure. A month later, her husband was arrested in connection to an investigation into SNP finances.
Three months later, Sturgeon herself was also arrested in connection to the investigation.
The current party leader, John Swinney, has only been in place since 6 May, having taken over after Humza Yousaf resigned due to his handling of a coalition agreement with the Green Party.
🏴 Thank you to everyone who #VotedSNP, to all our candidates, and to all our dedicated activists.
— The SNP (@theSNP) July 4, 2024
💛 Together, we’ll always keep working for a better future - made in Scotland, for Scotland. pic.twitter.com/RrSFRNPJty
In a post on X, the official SNP account thanked the party’s supporters, candidates and “our dedicated activists”.
“Together, we’ll always keep working for a better future — made in Scotland, for Scotland.”
With reporting from David MacRedmond.
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We fought for our freedom, the Scots won’t even vote for theirs.
Take away that amazing Scotland national anthem, they are owned by the English.
Never forgive Scotland for opposing our World Cup bid…….spoofers
@David Cotter: I’d have to agree, I’ll never forgive the SRU for that sickening decision.. But to hold it against the entire country, which had zero say in the matter, is a tad harsh don’t you think…?
@Brian: no
Ah Journal, please open the comments on the Ian Paisley story. Let us give the MP for North Antrim and the Maldives the send off he deserves!
Let’s face it,
The Scots are a defeated nation, hooked on the money sent up by the London taxpayers.
@H Woo: And what about the oil in the North Sea? That money literally saved Margaret Thatchers first Government. Petroleum Production tax , oil, and gas in the UK is over 70% which doesn’t go to Scotland goes to London.
SNP are corrupt anyway and have been in power/largest party for 14 years.
How very Braveheart…… all gung ho, right up to the last minute…
More of if you’re going to go down the identerterian woke ideology then this is what you get, people don’t want an Independent Scotland run by an ex leader who thinks the country is too white, Scottish people agreed and ended all notions of them running Scotland, sad thing loon what their left with.
Scot Cow Ards
@Argus Romsworth: yellow bellies
People do not have any confidence In sitting government… and are begrudgingly voting for opposition parties who they know will deliver more of the same.
@Paul Maguire: Explain Reform then Farage might beat the Toriies into 3rd place based on popular vote, seats the tories will have 10 times Reforms
They all seem to use the generic term ‘soul searching’, which means nothing. SF did the same here after the local elections. Can they not talk English and explain what that actually means.
Never watching Braveheart again
The Scottish are cowards who will take a knee to a king over and over again
“That’ll do nicely, miss money penny”
Proves that fighting violently for one’s freedom is the onlybway to go.
@AnthonyK: ooh aah up the fighting violently for yourself against a foreign force
@AnthonyK: yeah that’s a sensible statement, why have a stable democratic system when you can go around killing and maiming people, you are truly a tool
More of a case of Faint heart than Brave heart
Are we even allowed say “hammered” anymore. Sounds a bit hateful. Could we start a list of words that might potentially cause offence and put “hammered” on it? I’m gutted for the SNP. What on earth could have caused such a reversal. Identity politics and protecting people’s feelings are the civil rights issue of the millennium imo. Can’t understand it
Ahh, if only those darn Scots could be more like ‘us’.
have your say