The Scottish Electoral System in Action..

Hi

(some of this is borrowed from replies I made on the Scotsman website)

I have heard all sorts of things over the last few months like 'the SNP didn't get the most votes, it was just a fluke of the system.'.. of course that simply isn't true, the SNP did get the most votes.. let me explain:


Each person gets two votes, one constitutional, one regional. There is a threshold for how many members a party can have in parliament.. if one party (member per region) gets too many votes they are 'Disused'.



In the 2016 Scottish Election, the SNP got 1,059,897 const. votes and 953,587 regional votes.. they also had 708,051 disused regional votes; coming *first* across *every* regional area of Scotland and lost 12 seats and gained no seats.

In Scotland, the SNP are *loved*.

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For example in Glasgow.. the SNP got: 111,101 votes and lost 2 seats gaining none for a total of none. Labour (second place) got :59,151 votes, kept 4 seats and gained one for a total of 5.

Disused votes for Glasgow: 111,101.
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Central Scotland.. the SNP got: 129,082 votes and lost 3 seats gaining none for a total of none. Labour (second place) got :67,103 votes, kept 4 seats and gained one for a total of 5.

Disused votes for Central Scotland: 129,082.

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Mid-Scotland and Fife.. The SNP got 120,128 votes.. they lost a seat totaling no seats. The Scottish Conservatives (second place) got: 73,293 votes, kept their 4 seats gained 2 seats for a total of 6 seats.

Disused votes for Mid-Scotland and Fife: 120,128.

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Highlands and Islands..The SNP got 81,600 votes.. they lost 2 seats totaling 1 seats. The Scottish Conservatives (second place) got: 44,693 votes, kept their 2 seats gained 1 seats for a total of 3 seats.

Disused votes for Highland and Islands: 36,907 and 2 seats.

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Lothian .. The SNP got 118,546 votes.. they lost no seats totaling no seats. The Scottish Conservatives (second place) got: 74,972 votes, kept their 2 seats gained 1 seat for a total of 3 seats.

Disused votes for Lothian: 118,546.

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North East Scotland.. The SNP got 137,086 votes.. they lost a seat totaling no seats. The Scottish Conservatives (second place) got: 85,848 votes, kept their 4 seats gained 2 seats for a total of 6 seats.

Disused votes for North East Scotland: 137,086.

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South Scotland .. The SNP got 120,127 votes.. they lost a seat totaling 3 seats. The Scottish Conservatives (second place) got: 100,753 votes, kept their 2 seats gained 2 seats for a total of 4 seats.

Disused votes for South Scotland: 19,374 and one seat.

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West Scotland.. the SNP got: 135,827 votes and lost 2 seats gaining none for a total of none. Labour (second place) got :72,544 votes, kept 3 seats and gained no seats for a total of 3.

Disused votes for West Scotland: 135,827.
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To my fellow supporters of independence.. take this knowledge with you.

Dava
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2016 Total all votes for all parties:

Scottish National Party: ‭2,013,484‬ (inc 708,051 disused regional votes)
Scottish Conservative: 1,026,066 (inc 0 disused regional votes)
Scottish Labour: 950,180 (inc 0 disused regional votes)
Scottish LibDems : 297,522 (inc 0 disused regional votes)
Scottish Greens : 163,598 (inc 0 disused regional votes)
—
Total votes for Scottish Independence Parties: ‭2,177,082‬
Total votes for Unionist Parties: 2,273,768

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Holyrood is designed to make minority governments. Making parties work together. Getting to know what each other is thinking & why they think that.

Giving everyone a voice, no matter how small.

Putting all views on the table as valid.

It is a noble place.

When people say 'oh it was a fluke the SNP got a majority government' They are not disparaging the  SNP, they mean it was a mathematical fluke, not an electoral mistake by the electorate.

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Another way of putting it..

For 953,587 votes the SNP lost 12 seats, totalling 4 regional seats.

For 524,222 votes the Scottish Conservatives kept their 14 seats and gained 8 regional seats.

The Scottish National Party:

Constitutional Seats:  59

Regional Seats         : 4

Total                         : 63

The Scottish Conservatives:

Constitutional Seats:  7

Regional Seats         : 24

Total                         : 31

Scottish Labour:

Constitutional Seats:  3

Regional Seats         : 21

Total                         : 24

Scottish Greens:

Constitutional Seats:  0

Regional Seats         : 6

Total                         : 6

Scottish LD:

Constitutional Seats:  4

Regional Seats         : 1

Total                         : 5

Without the Scottish AMS 'Balancing System' (D'Hondt variation).. 

the SNP would have had:

Constitutional Seats:  59

Regional Seats         : 49

Total                         : 108

The Scottish Conservatives:

Constitutional Seats:  7

Regional Seats         : 0

Total                         : 7

Scottish Labour:

Constitutional Seats:  3

Regional Seats         : 0

Total                         : 3

The Scottish Greens and LDs would *mostly likely* have still had the seats they have now as  Highlands and Islands are combined. But I cannot state enough how much I, as an individual, believe in the Scottish AMS as a noble way of electing the most representative share of the people of Scotland's voice. Like I say .. it is noble.

Facts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Parliament_election,_2016#Constituency_and_regional_summary

War and Peace.. Scotland's Armed Forces in an Independent Scotland

Firstly.. I would like to declare for all to hear.. what you are about to read.. is a dream, my hopes in an Independent Scotland. I understand.. soldiers don't make war.. politicians do. I support those who fight for social liberty of their society.. Scottish Army, Navy, Air Force.

But I wish to talk about how you are funded.. and what .. I hope.. will be in an Independent Scotland. This is a heartfelt letter to any servicemen and servicewomen, who are questioning the political landscape on Scotland's place in the Union and if *they too* should support such a great, and perhaps, noble undertaking that those they fight for, are the ones who vote to support their right for also peace.

Think of Westminster's defense budget and how great it is.. 60 Billion per year, twice as much as Westminster's bloc grant to Scotland to run the entire country*.

Now think on Westminster's commitment to WMDs.. these WMDs cost around 2 Billion per year to maintain*.  Nuclear material is poisoning Scotland.. and the people you fight to protect.. would you eat a fish from Loch Gare?

Historically, as you will know already, Scotland takes pride in it's special task force approach.. using strike teams, for hundreds.. perhaps even thousands of years. We define *what* that is.

Bluntly.. in an independent Scotland we do not *need* WMDs or a high population Service. We have the skills to *make* the most of the potential of our Scottish Servicepeople. That money.. and indeed any money should be put to use in training and equipment.. making sure all army, navy and airforce personnel can be dropped anywhere and survive anywhere .. thrive anywhere. The sharpest blade makes the deepest cut.. you may have heard this before, I reference it as strategy, that strikeforces trained skeen, can do what others do with threats of WMDs.

Ultimate training of every one of our troops. We as Gaels were built for this.. I believe the Picts were the elite fighting force of the Gaels, perhaps it only a truth of the heart.. but one forged with sharp knowledge of having; been lived and been seen. Whom amongst you have seen others from other countries fold.. when you have strived and succeeded? Did you grow up in a rough area of Scotland.. and travel elsewhere? Was it the same? or did it secretly seem to you those people had cushy lives? I suggest that.. the power you have is immeasurable, you grew up in a place where you *had* to be suspicious constantly, even as little children.

Is it right to shoot a deer with a 50 cal weapon?.. is it not more honest with bow and arrow.. as it is earned, it is respected. The 50 cal is the nuclear weapons.. the enemy is the deer. If you earn something you have the right to it..
What if with Scottish strike teams..
We could say; 'There were no casualties.'
What if when the Scottish Response Service of a 'fire sale' harms only those who made war in the first place.
A surgical blade to a particular problem.
Not a hammer to chase a mouse.

How much would all this cost.. I have no idea, but to anyone with a mind, they will take on good faith as their own heart assures.. it will cost less than WMDs.

Kind Regards

Dava






*https://fullfact.org/economy/trident-nuclear-cost/
*next year this will be reduced to 49 Billion.. the Service population for the entire UK as I write is 153,770 and 81,850 reserved.