Gloom laden Scottish Labour continue to lose support to Scottish National Party

Scottish Labour continue to lose support to the Scottish National Party (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba) - SNP. They had hoped that a change of leadership would see some improvement in their fortunes. However, the figures from the recent Ashcroft Polls- an in depth research into selected Scottish constituencies, presents a very gloomy picture for Labour. Of the 16 seats polled, 14 are at present held by Labour and two by the Liberal Democrats. However, the poll reveals that 15 would go to the SNP on remarkable swings of over 20%. This includes Labour’s old heartlands of Glasgow where they could be facing annihilation.

Scottish Labour are being punished both for their treachery during the Scottish independence referendum, when they joined with the Conservatives and Lib Dems to oppose Scottish independence. But also for their contempt for their own supporters, who over many years have consistently voted Labour and been badly let down. It is only the Scottish National Party, who hold power in the devolved Scottish Parliament, that has managed to try and protect Scotland from the worst of the Conservative UK government's damaging policies. 

Scotland's voters have seen the SNP run Scottish Parliament being prepared to stand up to the UK government. They have also seen the SNP government in Edinburgh freezing local council taxes, abolish medical prescription charges, provide free care and travel to older people, make no forced public sector redundancies and ensured nurses and firemen are paid the rises they are due. So it is little wonder that Scottish people realise that the way to get a strong voice for Scotland in the UK parliament is to also vote SNP.

The Labour Party in Scotland will try their best to try and stop their previous supporters voting SNP by saying that only voting Labour will prevent the Conservatives from coming to power in the UK, However, Scottish people voting Labour did not stop a Conservative government coming to power in 1979, 83, 87, 92 and 2010. It is also the case that Scottish Labour is merely a branch of the London Labour Party. The policies of that Party offer nothing for Scotland and in many respects are identical to those of the Conservatives. Realisation of this is also causing disillusionment amongst Labour's own activists and damaging morale. This will in itself damage their ability to campaign effectively at a local level.

It is interesting given all of this that right wing and conservative columnists are rallying to Labour's support! Such is their dislike of the Scottish nationalists they are prepared to ditch old traditional rivalries and see a strong continued Labour vote in Scotland. After all they know that they have nothing to fear from Labour who they know will sell their voters down the river, just as they have always done. But not so the SNP who have shown they are prepared to stand up and fight for Scotland. The SNP are, however, right to advise people not to be complacent about their position in the opinion polls at the present time. Every vote has to be fought for if the interests of Scotland is to be truly represented in the UK parliament. That can only be achieved by a strong SNP presence at Westminster. The date of the UK General Election is Thursday 7 May 2015.

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