Dear All
Last night the people of Scotland witnessed a truly historic event as they voted for the return of Alex Salmond and the SNP Government to serve them in these difficult times.
Words like epic, historic don’t relate the scale of what happened at the polls.
For the Labour Party and Iain Gray, it was a night of complete and utter destruction across the land as the SNP took the scalps of some of Labour’s biggest hitters.
Andy Kerr gone!
Frank McAveety gone!
Pauline McNeill gone!
Charles Gordon gone!
Tom McCabe gone!
Karen Whitefield gone!
Des McNulty gone!
David Whitton gone!
Bill Butler gone!
And Tories as well were swept away as smug David McLetchie was knocked off his perch.
SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon cruised to a 4349 majority in the first of five epeic SNP first past the post victories in Glasgow.
Ms Sturgeon said the SNP’s wins were a victory for “positivity over negativity”.
She added:
“I was quietly confident of winning the seat for the SNP. The scale of the majority exceeded all my expectations.”
Referring to the collapse of Labour's vote in central Scotland, Alex Salmond said:
"I suppose it's a bit like the American bison. I dare say we'll still see one or two dotted about, but the great herds of Labour have gone forever. It is clear from the indications we've had so far that it is likely the SNP has been bestowed trust in a way that no party ever has before in a Scottish election. We will take that mandate and that trust forward. We'll take it forward to increase the powers of our parliament."
In Glasgow, so long a Labour Party fiefdom and stronghold, they lost five seats and the others were severely damaged as Labour Candidates were pushed to the wire.
And in some cases out the door, during her acceptance speech, Labour MSP Johann Lamont was visibly shaking standing at the platform.
I saw it because I was sitting in the front row at the count, as a humble Glaswegian pottering about the place I wandered in.
Front seat at what was the biggest electoral car crash in Scottish Labour history, with my trusty diet irn bru and double deckers, I watched the carnage.
Frank McAveety went off on a rant, Paul Martin followed suit, and Johann Lamont came later.
Losing Glasgow Anniesland Labour Candidate Bill Butler did show a measure of dignity in his speech after he lost to Bill Kidd who deserved to be returned to Holyrood.
His election went to a full recount in Hall 2 at the SECC, the atmosphere in that hall was electric as counting agents of the SNP and Labour stood in front of tables as every vote was checked again and again.
High drama!
2007 was an historic victory for the SNP but 2011 even with some the results still to be declared has topped that.
And then some!
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
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