The aftermath of the Scottish Independence referendum rumbles on: despite winning, the pro Union side seem to be snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. While the once dominant Labour Party looks set to lose seats to the SNP in the coming UK elections, the Yes supporting parties (SNP, Greens, Scottish Socialist Party) are all seeing rising member numbers. The SNP is now the third largest party in the whole of the UK.
After the vote SNP leader Alex Salmond stepped aside, making Nicola Sturgeon the third female party leader in Scotland. His departure surprised the mainstream, and his announcement that he is standing for the Westminster Parliament has blown the minds of some. Just witness this ill-informed exchange on BBC News (it’s amazing how clueless London based journalists are about Scotland):
Apparently Salmond is “hateful”, and is waging a “vendetta” against the UK. He should “shrink away” because “he lost”. These are not views you’ll hear about Nigel Farage and his right wing United Kingdom Independence Party on the Beeb, but perhaps the fact the a prominent BBC producer has become director of communications for UKIP explains why.