Fighting council cuts will be a focus before the devolution referendum ON MAY I the Tories lost all land. They now have NO MPs, NO MEPs, and control NO councils.
ine rory party organsaoon D on the point of collapse. The main policy on which they fought the election on - attacking devolution -has been clearly rejected, and they Tace a roo and branch roads In every part of Scotland the mood was to set rid of the Tories. Tactical voting was widely employed to ensure their defeat.
Six seats were won from the To ries by Labour, one by Lib Dems and three by the SNP. Labour hold 56 seats. Ub Dems I0 and the SNP 6. The Tories have the same as the Scottish Socialist Alliance - none.
There is a mood of celebration in achieving this, even amongst people who distrust Labour - the defeat of Michael Forsyth was par. ticularly welcomed.
Compared with 1992, there was 7 con crop in tie tory vor • 17 per cent (higher than at loca elections), an 8 per cent rise in LaDoor Cove per cent polls), SNP up i per cent to 22 per cent and Lib Dems down 1 per e deduced from both SNP and Li Dems taking more seats with much the same percentage as in 1992. In Labour-held seats the SNP and Lib Dem share of the vote fell.
Labour's strategy in Scotland cus on the need for change at Westminster. This clearty worked -paracularty in the fast a weeks In the early stages of the camsaign Blair almost blew it by ill considered remarks on devolucion and sovereignty which showed he didn't understand the basis of the Claim of Right, nor indeed the detail of Labour's proposals.
For a time this allowed the SNP Question", and polls suggested a rise in their vote to nearer 30 per cent, a point where they coul take Labour retrenched after reafmine heir commence Scottish parliament. This time the people trust them to deliver ine sur are moderately pleased. They succeeded in proving that an independent Scotland could be at least as affluent as the present set-up (under capitalist policies and that Scottish tax payers have been subsidising Westminster.
This has changed the terrain of debate between devolution and intions of this have not yet had an impact on voting intentions.
Preferred
However, amongst under 25 year olds independence is now the preferred option, and in a poll which showed voting intendons for this election in line with results, the same people indicated 38 per cent would vote sit in erecoons tor cottish parliament - as azainst 35 per cent for Labour.
The Scottish Socialist Alliance (CA) stood in lo seats ano gos 9,740 votes, 1.8 per cent.
It saved one deposit, with Tommy Sheridan getting 3,639 votes and II.I per cent of the vote. It was clear that the SSA suffered Early rallies were well supported. however many pledges of support vanished, particularly in areas where the SSA had not previously most boundaries had changed).
Overall the SSA has gained credibility, several of its candidates have addressed thousands of people at Tures many now tetoes nave been gained, and in Glasgow one in 10 voters voted SSA Effectively this was the launch of the SSA as a campaigning and politi. cal organisation. will be few to grow the SSA will require to become integral to the political and community life of the areas as well as taking campaign initiatives.