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Scotland

"Super Thursday" Elections in Scotland and Wales Boost Labour, But Not Without Challenges

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Yesterday's historic "Super Thursday" elections in Scotland and Wales saw Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party poised to become the biggest party in both the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. However, the elections also revealed challenges for Labour, particularly in Scotland, where the party struggled to win outright parliamentary majorities. The Scottish National Party (SNP) made a comeback, gaining support across Scotland at the expense of Labour compared to the 1997 general election. In Wales, Labour is set to win 28 to 32 seats in the 60-strong assembly, while the nationalist Plaid Cymru is expected to secure between 13 to 17 seats.

Key Takeaways:

  • Labour is poised to claim 57 seats in the 129-member Scottish Parliament, while the SNP is set to secure 37 seats.
  • In Wales, Labour is expected to win 28 to 32 seats in the 60-strong assembly, while Plaid Cymru is expected to secure between 13 to 17 seats.
  • The Scottish Parliament will have power in areas such as education, health, law and order, and tax raising.
  • Wales' assembly cannot even pass its own laws.
  • Labour ran a hard-hitting, US-style campaign that painted the SNP's plans as a costly divorce and a nightmare to the taxpayer.
  • The SNP leader, Alex Salmond, put a brave face on the results, citing the party's gain in support across Scotland compared to the 1997 general election.
  • Donald Dewar, Scotland's Labour leader, hailed the election as a victory for Labour, saying "Scottish politics will be forever changed."
  • Douglas Alexander, a top Labour official, said the election showed the people had rejected separatism, citing a "fundamental choice" between an expensive and messy divorce or the positive policies of Labour.

Statistics:

  • Overall Labour support: 42%
  • Overall Scottish National Party (SNP) support: 30%
  • Labour's gain in seats in Scotland: 20
  • SNP's gain in support across Scotland: 10 percentage points
  • Welsh Labour seats: 28-32
  • Plaid Cymru seats in Wales: 13-17

Sources:

  • David Luhnow, "British Identity Crisis Election Goes in Favour of Blair's Labour", The Times. (Date not specified)
  • BBC news source, "Scotland and Wales Elections 2007" (Date not specified)
  • The Scottish National Party (SNP), "Press Release: 2007 Scottish Parliament Elections" (Date not specified)

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