Destiny is on: the British look to Scotland

Friday, May 7, 2021

fortune counting continues
The British are waiting for Scotland

The whole of Great Britain looks mesmerized at Scotland. There, counting for the regional election is still underway, which could lead to a new independence referendum. A clear trend has not yet been identified. But soon important clues may come from some constituencies.

No clear trend was evident in the afternoon, following the counting of votes in two of the 73 constituencies in the Scottish general election. After the Liberal Democrats were able to secure their mandate on Orkney Island, the Scottish National Party (SNP) asserted itself in an electoral district of Aberdeen. Although final results are not expected until Saturday, results in some constituencies may already indicate whether Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP has won an absolute majority. The SNP hopes this will put pressure on London to hold a second independence referendum. The outcome of the regional election is therefore considered decisive for the future of Great Britain. Results for Wales and other regions are still pending.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ruling party registered a significant victory in north-east England. In the Hartlepool constituency, traditionally dominated by the left-wing Labor Party, Jill Mortimer was the first Conservative candidate to win a parliamentary mandate, according to official election results. Mortimer received 15,529 votes, nearly twice that of his Labor counterpart Paul Williams (8,589 votes).

“This is a truly historic result and an important day,” said newly elected MP Mortimer. The Labor Party won this constituency for a long time. The entire region has long been considered a Labor Party stronghold. The former MP had resigned following allegations of sexual harassment. Both parties were aware of the special significance of the by-election Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally campaigned in Hartlepool on Monday.

johnson feels encouraged

The result is likely to increase pressure on opposition leader Keir Starmer, who a year ago promised to rebuild Labor and re-establish ties with traditional voters if elected president of the party. “We cannot hide the fact that this is a shocking result for Labour,” Labor MP Steve Reid told the BBC. This shows that the party has not changed so fast.

Johnson called the results “very encouraging”. It shows that his government has focused on the priorities of the people and on getting out of the pandemic as quickly as possible, said the premier in the West Midlands. Johnson has come under pressure several times over the past few weeks, including a luxury renovation of his official apartment.