Tories set for best Scots poll since 1992
‘Union has stood test of time’
Nicola Sturgeon’s hopes of a second Scottish referendum were dealt a massive blow last night after SNP faced the loss of 22 seats.
it represented a significant setback for the party after it won all but three seats north of the border just two years ago.
Party leader Miss Sturgeon could hold the balance of power in a ‘progressive alliance’, but the price could be a second poll on Scottish independence.
The SNP was projected to gain 34 seats – a loss of 22 from the 56 it had held – in a backlash over its divisive referendum plans. But Scottish Tories were set for their best result in 25 years following a remarkable resurgence thanks to their staunch opposition to a Union break-up.
The election campaign in Scotland has been dominated by SNP leader Miss Sturgeon’s demand for a second vote. The party’s manifesto claimed that winning a majority of Scottish seats would ‘reinforce’ its mandate for a rerun of the 2014 independence vote.
However, it had been braced for losses of up to a dozen seats after suggestions that a second referendum was not popular.
Theresa May has said she would block a independence referendum for at least five years if she won a majority, according to senior Tories.
But with the Tories facing the prospect of a hung parliament her ability to do that could be called into question. conservative chances in Scotland were last night looking significantly better than they were south of the border after they fought on an anti-independence platform.
The Tories expected to win at least six SNP seats, including all three constituencies along the English border.
Stewart Hosie, an SNP politician who has served as an MP for Dundee East since 2005, told the BBc: ‘if this poll is correct it would still point to the SNP winning the poll in Scotland which is what we set out to achieve.
‘i don’t recall us ever voting for significant Tory policy in the past and it would be hard to see in the current climate, with austerity cuts and a hard Brexit party, that we would want to support them in any way in this future parliament.’ The Tories have been targeting areas including the Borders and north- east Scotland - with the SNP’s deputy leader angus Robertson in Moray among the big hitters they hoped to topple.
He looked likely to have lost his seat last night. Under charismatic Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson the party has been enjoying a revival. Since 2001, the conservatives have only held one seat in Scotland.
any improvement would mark their best result since 1992 when it had 11 Scottish MPs. all were swept away in labour’s 1997 landslide.
Elections expert Professor John curtice said last night: ‘although the SNP should still dominate Scottish representation at Westminster, the party will be concerned that their vote might have eased in the final days of the campaign.’ Miss Sturgeon had demanded an independence referendum between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, but she ditched the timetable during the campaign as it became obvious the threat of separation was damaging her party’s popularity.
in recent days she has instead pledged Scotland will be an independent country by 2025. Yesterday in a final message to voters north of the border ahead of the ballot, Mrs May promised her commitment to the Union ‘will not waver’.
Writing in the Scottish Daily Mail, she said: ‘as Prime Minister, i will always stand up for the United Kingdom. The Union of Scotland, England, Northern ireland and Wales has stood the test of time.
‘Together we have achieved great things and together we are stronger as we face the challenges of the future. That is my firm belief as we prepare to leave the EU and build a Britain ready to seize the opportunities from our new role in the world.’