Scotland: SNP hope for a new independence referendum after narrow electoral victory

The Scottish National Party is expecting an absolute majority in Parliament after the SNP regional elections – and thus for a new version of an independence referendum. After counting the votes in the first 73 constituencies in the general election in Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) was able to assert itself in 27 constituencies and in Liberal Democrats in three.

Among others, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon defended a direct mandate in his constituency south of Glasgow. Your SNP garnered 60.2 percent of the vote there and was 31 percent ahead of Labor. Sturgeon, who was hoping for an absolute majority in regional elections, said it was a privilege of his life to represent “Scotland’s most diverse constituency”.

Conservative points to victory in dominant position

In the city of Ayr, SNP politician Siobhian Brown was only able to win the constituency from conservative candidate John Scott by 170 votes – a hotly contested position. Scott previously held the constituency for more than 20 years. Not all constituencies have been counted yet. With the final result expected on Saturday, more than 4.2 million people were called to vote. Results in some constituencies may indicate on Friday whether the SNP will win an absolute majority.

The head-to-head race could be decisive for the whole of Great Britain: the SNP hopes to be able to pressurize London for a second independence referendum with an absolute majority in Parliament in Edinburgh. The party needs the approval of the central government in London, but Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson does not want to know anything about it so far.

In the first referendum in 2014, 55 percent of Scots spoke against secession. However, the SNP argues that the situation has changed radically with Great Britain’s exit from the EU, which was rejected by the majority of Scottish voters. A new version of the referendum will present a different picture today.