Friday, May 04, 2007

Political Power

Today it seems as though nothing is happening and that, conversely, everything is happening.

With each passing minute, the result from another constituency is announced, bringing us closer to a result from the closest Scottish election yet. But with each passing minute, as the result from another constituency is announced, neither Labour nor the SNP is showing any signs of gaining a majority in the Scottish Executive.

As I write this, Labour has won 37 seats in the Wee Parliament, the SNP 34, and the Liberal Democrats 12. Which means that, once again, the Liberals are the party with the real power.

If you'll excuse what may be a disturbing image for a moment, Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Nicol Stephen has the choice of jumping into bed with Jack McConnell or with Alex Salmond. With McConnell, he knows what to expect; they've been together before and have enjoyed a fairly steady relationship thus far.

But Alex represents a new and untested bedfellow, who is promising an exciting future as one of the founding fathers of an independent Scotland.

So, it's up to the Liberals - stay in the steady marriage or opt for the exciting affair. Who'd've thunk Scottish politics could be so tempestuous?

1 comment:

mirk said...

I'd say rather incestuous... sort off!

It all seem a total shambles not a good advert for safe electioneering ie 100,ooo spoiled deliberately? or not spoiled deliberately? and some of Edinburgh's ballot paper being put in an oh... so... safe... secret... plastic bag... behind the desk farmfoods probably.

Qs will need to be asked and answered, but they won't.. well not properly