Lucky day for Scotland? Elections in parts of the UK

Is Scotland headed for a second independence referendum? Today’s election to the regional parliament in the British part of the country may provide an answer to this question. In addition to Scotland, a new regional parliament would also be elected in Wales. In London and many other cities and counties in England, people are allowed to elect new mayors and district and local councils.

Scottish National Party hopes for absolute majority

Above all, elections in Scotland could have long-term consequences. Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party (SNP) is hoping for an absolute majority. The party, which currently controls the Scottish Greens with Tolerance, has sought second independence referendum For this, however, he needed approval from London – for the British part of the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has so far vehemently rejected this.

Boris Johnson unpopular in Scotland

The Prime Minister of Britain is extremely unpopular in Scotland. According to a recent survey by the University of Bristol and King’s College London, three quarters of Scots (72 percent) distrust it. British Prime Minister on the fight against the pandemic, A majority of Scots (55 per cent) also believe that the government in London has not done well in the fight against the coronavirus overall.

With an absolute majority, it is hoped, the SNP is in for a clear mandate for the referendum and could put more pressure on London. In a first referendum in 2014, a 55 percent majority of Scots voted against secession from union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

50:50 If there is a possibility of an absolute majority

It should be exciting. “Votings give a 50:50 chance for an absolute SNP majority,” election researcher John Curtis of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. The Conservatives are likely to come second again, ahead of the Labor Party, which once piled up in Scotland.

It may take up to Saturday before the final result is known. In any case, Sturgeon could again hope for the support of the Greens, who, according to polls, should improve their results from six to ten percent of the second turnout in this election. As in Germany in elections in Scotland, there are candidates who come to Parliament via regional lists to vote first for direct mandates and second for elections.

By-election for MPs in Hartlepool

The by-election for a member of the House of Commons in the northeastern English town of Hartlepool is also drawing particular attention. The former MP from the opposition Labor Party had resigned following allegations of harassment. Hartlepool is part of the former home of the British Social Democrats. At the same time, acceptance of leaving the European Union was particularly high in north-east England. Johnson’s Conservatives took a strong lead there in the last general election. Should Hartlepool also fall to the Tories, it would be a heavy blow to Labor leader Keir Starmer, who has set himself the goal of recapturing the so-called “Red Wall”. Results are expected on Friday.

London’s acting mayor tops the election

In the election for London mayor, incumbent Labor leader Sadiq Khan was well ahead of his Conservative challenger Sean Bailey in the election. The counting of votes could go on till Sunday.