Seems when all the votes were finally counted that the SNP has become the largest party in the Scottish parliament, by a whole one seat. I have really mixed feelings about the electoral system in Scotland. I'm not sure that the lack of any clear majority it produces and the horse trading over coalition that results is really democratic. There is talk of Labour still tyring to do a deal with the Lib Dems to stay in power, I'd be pretty outraged if that happened. It's clear that the electorate have rejected Labour, so the SNP have the moral majority, if not the actual majority.
I'm an old Labour guy. But, confusingly enough, I'm also a nationalist - in the sense that I don't believe that the UK is an effective or appropriate political union, in context of there being a much bigger union we are part of, the European Union. Why does Scotland need two unions? Indeed, the more you know about politics, the more complex your views become. I'm also pleased that the Scottish electorate is giving someone else other than the Labour / Lib dem establishment a chance, it's not really democracy if you believe one party will always be in power.
I wish Alex Salmond luck (it's not as if that will make any difference to him, but it's the thought that counts) in the messy situation that the post Scottish election time always seems to be. I'm going to be fascinated to see how Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond co-exist together.
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