Ruling pro-independence SNP win early seats in crucial Scottish elections

The SNP need to gain at least four more seats to win an overall majority of 65, but could rely on the backing of the pro-independence Green Party, which took five seats in 2016, to pursue a second referendum. Turnout across Scotland was higher than five years ago.


Reuters | Updated: 07-05-2021 19:30 IST | Created: 07-05-2021 19:30 IST
Ruling pro-independence SNP win early seats in crucial Scottish elections

The first results in crucial Scottish parliament elections which could determine the future of the United Kingdom began to be announced on Friday, with early successes for Scotland's main pro-independence party. The ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) says it wants to hold another referendum on independence by 2023 if there is a pro-independence majority returned to the devolved 129-seat parliament - setting up a potential legal showdown with Prime Minister Boris Johnson who says he will refuse any such vote.

The SNP won five of the first six seats to be declared, although there was an increase in support in some areas for opposition pro-union parties, indicating the final outcome of the election could be very close. When asked what it would mean if the SNP did win a majority in the devolved parliament, which was created in 1999, Johnson said he would wait and see what happens in the next few hours.

"I don't think people want much more constitutional wrangling right now," he told reporters. Britain's departure from the European Union, a move opposed by an overwhelming majority in Scotland, a perception that the Scottish government has handled the COVID-19 crisis well, and antipathy to Johnson's Conservative government in Westminster have all bolstered support for the independence movement.

If there was another referendum and the Scots voted to leave, it would mark the biggest shock to the United Kingdom since Irish independence a century ago. The SNP need to gain at least four more seats to win an overall majority of 65, but could rely on the backing of the pro-independence Green Party, which took five seats in 2016, to pursue a second referendum.

Turnout across Scotland was higher than five years ago. Commentators said the SNP needed to get its supporters out to gain a majority, while it could also mean tactical voting by those opposed to breaking up the 314-year union with England. Results from about two-thirds of the 73 constituency seats are due on Friday. The remainder and regional seats – allocated on a complicated proportional representation system based on a second vote – will not be announced until Saturday.

All the parties say how those regional seats fall could be crucial in whether there is a pro-independence majority in the parliament. Scots voted by 55%-45% in 2014 to remain part of the United Kingdom, in what pro-unionist parties say should be a once in a generation vote. Polls suggest the outcome of a second referendum would be too tight to call. (Writing by Michael Holden and Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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