'Must do better': The SNP can't ignore the central message from the Scottish election
The MSPs who will be sworn in this week now have the responsibility and privilege of steering Scotland’s future
Let the political post mortems and spinning commence. The election is over, we have the public’s verdict, and a very different looking parliament. However hard the SNP might try to make us think that it was a glorious victory they have, as one of their former spin doctors admitted, got away with one.
In the end Labour was too damaged by disappointment in the UK Government to challenge them and people were still too angry at the Conservatives for them to hold onto that second place.
While the early results had made it look like this new parliament would be more of the same, the picture began to change in the afternoon and by those final 1am regional list results from the Highlands, the new look was clear. Yes, the SNP has by far the largest number of seats and goes into its third decade of dominance, but every other party has enough MSPs to be influential and ensure their constituents voices are heard.
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Working together, listening to voters
The rise of the other parties should mean that this is a parliament with a chance to be the collaborative, consensus-driven body that is founders originally envisaged. In tackling the issues which dominated public concern in this election, the new Scottish Government will have to work with others and listen to the messages the electorate have sent.
Voters in the Western Isles made clear that they want representatives who will fix their lifeline ferry services when they rejected the SNP in favour of Labour. And across the Highlands that sentiment was reflected in success for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
In Edinburgh, the Greens defenestrated Cabinet Secretary Angus Robertson to reinforce that ‘must do better’ message for the SNP. And the rise of Reform should be an alarm call for us all.
Committed and talented
From a personal political perspective, it was a day – and a night – to remember. The Liberal Democrats more than doubled our number of wins from four five years ago to ten this time. And while we had to wait until the early hours of the morning for our final success, the results went a long way to easing the pain many of us have felt in the past three Scottish elections.
New MSPs in Edinburgh, the North East, the Highlands and the Borders have re-established our national voice. A successful peach vote campaign meant that the proportional system we have long championed was our friend in this election.
But there will also be massive disappointment for those for whom a place at Holyrood was just out of reach. It is not an easy experience for anyone, I know how painful it can be. But I hope that those who are hurting this week will not let the loss put them off politics but use it instead to become stronger.
We need good, committed and talented people across the political spectrum. It’s possible that amongst those who missed out this time there is a future First Minister. For the moment, however, it is those who will be sworn in this week who will have the responsibility and privilege of steering Scotland’s future.
Christine Jardine is the Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West
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