Predictions of the SNP’S demise wrong again

Tuesday last week marked the 15th anniversary of the SNP’S first historic win when it beat Labour to take power at Holyrood. Whilst other governing parties complain of “mid-term blues” the SNP marked the anniversary by recording its best-ever local elections results. It is a remarkable achievement by any standards, with the SNP winning more seats than ever and more gains than any other party in Scotland.

Since taking power, commentators have regularly predicted the demise of the SNP, and have regularly been proved wrong. That was to be the case again on Thursday when the party defied political gravity with an 11th national election win on the trot.

The SNP leadership will rightly be pleased with these results. After a decade and a half in power the party remains popular and the SNP ambition of delivering independence remains a vote winner. Those who stood on a platform of beating the SNP and rejecting independence once again lost heavily.

These were local elections to deliver local services, but it is part of a set pattern.

That provides a challenge for all political parties and governments. The SNP win on a clear commitment to deliver an independence referendum and the pro-union parties consistently lose elections on a commitment to deny one.

This will add pressure on parties to deliver on that commitment and some hard conversations. Elections are about legitimacy to govern and delivering on promises. Holyrood and Westminster were not on the ballot but these elections will be consequential for both.