Tuesday 23 September 2014

Labour may lose Scotland . What of Wales?

Labour should be delighted . Ther's am unpopular coalition in Westminster and the Tories face a challenge from the right from Ukip in a similar way the SDP/Liberal alliance  helped  prevent Labour winning two General Elections in the 8O's

On top of that there was  NO vote in Scotland and they probably expected the SNP do fal back in despair and in fighting.

But alas for ED Miliband the polls still fail to give Labour the sort of margin they need and Ukip in England at least may well be a focus for a protest vote almost as much in their strongholds as Tory Southern England

And in Scotland  Labour may be hoping this "Powerful Insight " from a online Mag which seems to be US based . I invite Scottish readers to have a look and a laught.



The decisive loss of the Yes campaign in last week's independence referendum has left the Scottish National Party with bruises it is trying desperately to heal — bruises that could wipe it off the U.K. political map by the 2016 election.
Former First Minister Alex Salmond touched on the SNP's need for a new directionwhen announcing his resignation on Friday, saying the country could "still carry the political initiative" after the loss. "Scotland can still emerge as the real winner," he said. "For me as leader my time is nearly over, but for Scotland the campaign continues and the dream shall never die."
The dream, however, is much murkier than before. And with such vague ideals, the SNP may not last. 
Unfortunately for Labour  the reverse seems to be to be happenings

It looks like Nicol Sturgeon will  be elected unopposed and it generally acepted She had a better campaign than even Big Eck


In recent days nationalist party membership has soared by almost 20000 since Scotland voted to reject independence last week while 3,000 people have joined the Scottish Greens.
The number of SNP members was 45,336 as at 4pm today, compared to 25,642 at 5pm last Thursday.
The last confirmed UK-wide Lib Dems' membership number was 43,451 at the start of this year, although the party said it expected to top the 44,000 mark in April.
Ukip had 38,124 members as of May 19.

So that makes the SNP the third  Largest party by Membership in the UK
Another
Another

The Poll after the vote taken after the  NO vote see the SNP gaining a comfortable third term in Holyrood
Party % share
SNP 49.2
LAB 32.7
CON 13.4
LD 3.4
Another 1.3

And then there's Wales of course


First Minister Carwyn Jones challenged Labour to be the party that delivers “home rule” for Wales when he took the party conference stage in Manchester.
The Welsh Labour leader (is he or is it Owen Smith?) told the conference audience that the “old days of Westminster sovereignty” are over and gave a stark warning that the union cannot be taken for granted.
He said: “The union has suffered a serious injury and a sticking plaster won’t do.”
This from a Man who has been very hapy with the status Quo in the Assembly so far . 
Calling for Wales to be offered the same powers that will be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, he said: 

[The] future we promised to Scotland must be delivered - an equal share of resources, a seat at the table, a powerful Parliament - that must be offered to Wales and Northern Ireland too. Not just home rule for Scotland, but home rule all round.”

So is he caling for parity with Scotland  does Owen Smith agree with this? 
Mr Jones warned that people were tempted to vote for independence if they believed conditions “can’t get worse”.
Well as the Blue-Labour Conference continues with its commitment to be good boys anf girls and make no promises to reverse the draconian Tory/Lib Dem cuts there may well be some in Wales who look at Scotland and are inspired.

Things may well change but its beginning to look like Labour are going will be the biggest  looser after the referendum in  Scotland losing out to the SNP there and to the Tories in England as Cameron exploits English Votes for English Laws

And again I ask "What of Wales".


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