A Clean Sweep?
I'll believe it when I see it, but there's no doubt that if the SNP were to win every seat in next week's general election it would shake the Westminster establishment to its knees which would, undoubtedly, be a wonderful sight to see.
More importantly, such a result would bring about a political crisis and provoke a root and branch reform of the Westminster model of government which has allowed two big parties (Conservatives and Labour) to dominate for decades without any kind of popular mandate.
Because if either the Conservatives or Labour emerge as the largest party with only 35% or so of the popular vote, there is no way David Cameron or Ed Miliband can run an effective government without the assistance of the SNP.
So matter what the Labour or Tory leaders say now, ahead of the election, the game would be up for Westminster and its undemocratic First Past The Post voting system; proportional representation and a single transferable vote (STV) would surely follow and be introduced for local council elections in England as well.
Now that I'd love to see.
The SNP is on course to win every single seat in Scotland, leaving Labour with zero
Huge swing to the nationalists could leave Jim Murphy's party without representation
By JON STONE - The Independent
The Scottish National Party is on course to win every single one of Scotland’s 59 seats, according to a new poll.
The latest in a string of surveys showing a rising vote share for the nationalists put the party on 54 per cent, nearly three times the vote share it achieved in 2010.
The Ipsos MORI poll put the SNP leagues ahead of their closest rivals, Labour, who were on 20 per cent, the latest in a series of new record lows.
Labour, which won 41 seats in Scotland in the 2010 election is facing a total wipeout, as well as the embarrassment of being only 3 per cent ahead of the Tories, who are on 17 per cent.
The Conservatives have only even won one seat in Scotland since 1992 and have been a minor party in Westminster Scottish politics since the 1980s.
The Liberal Democrats, also traditionally strong in Scotland, were on 5 per cent.
Since the Scottish Independence referendum polls have consistently shown the SNP ahead of Scottish Labour.
While the final allocation of seats may not be as clear-cut as Scotland-wide polls suggest, the situation for the unionist party has worsened since the appointment of Westminster MP Jim Murphy as its leader.
Despite polls in the rest of the UK suggesting a robust showing from Labour, the party’s experience in Scotland has gone from bad to worse in recent months.
Mr Murphy could also himself be set to lose his seat at the election, according to a local survey published by the pollster Lord Ashcroft.
Earlier this month the Scottish Labour leader insisted that his party could still win more seats than the SNP.
While the final allocation of seats may not be as clear-cut as Scotland-wide polls suggest, the situation for the unionist party has worsened since the appointment of Westminster MP Jim Murphy as its leader.
Despite polls in the rest of the UK suggesting a robust showing from Labour, the party’s experience in Scotland has gone from bad to worse in recent months.
Mr Murphy could also himself be set to lose his seat at the election, according to a local survey published by the pollster Lord Ashcroft.
Earlier this month the Scottish Labour leader insisted that his party could still win more seats than the SNP.
"I am confident we can win this election, we can win it north and south of the border,” he said at a campaign event in Aberdeen.
The seat predictions based on the Ipsos MORI poll are based on estimates from the Electoral Calculus website which looks at uniform national swing across seats.
In reality some seats may prove tough to crack for the SNP with local battles bucking the national trend.
With the election next week, there is limited time for a dramatic reversal in the polls, however.
Poll: SNP could win all 59 Scottish seats in general election
The Herald - SNP could win all 59 Scottish seats in the General Election, new polling data has suggested.
The latest and final Ipsos MORI poll for STV News puts support for Nicola Sturgeon's party at 54%, up by two percentage points on the last poll, with Labour trailing on 20%, down from 24%.
Support for the Conservatives has increased by five points to 17% while the Liberal Democrats are on 5%, up one point, the Greens are on 2%, down by two points, Ukip are polling at 1%, with support for other parties also at 1%.
Using these figures, the Electoral Calculus website predicts that the SNP would take all 59 seats in Scotland.
Ipsos MORI questioned 1,071 people between April 22 and 27 on how they would vote if there were a Westminster General Election tomorrow.
It is the latest poll to show a record level of support for nationalists after a survey by TNS published on Monday put the SNP on 54%.
It recorded support for Labour at 22%, the Tories at 13%, Lib Dems at 6% and the Greens and Ukip both on 2%.
Using the Electoral Calculus seat predictor, the TNS results put the SNP on 57 seats, with one each for Labour and the Lib Dems.
Another TNS poll published today in the Herald newspaper shows record levels of support for Ms Sturgeon across the country.
The snapshot of 1,200 adults in Scotland, England and Wales shows the First Minister has the highest approval rating of the party leaders.
The poll gave Ms Sturgeon a Britain-wide net approval rating of plus 33, a record for TNS.
She is followed by Nigel Farage on plus 12, David Cameron on plus 7, Ed Miliband on minus 8, and Nick Clegg on minus 22.
Ms Sturgeon is top of the polling in every part of the country, leading on plus 30 in north-east England, plus 38 in Wales and the West Country and plus 33 in Greater London.
In Scotland, her approval rating surges to plus 55, where she is the only leader with a positive net rating.
Commenting on the Ipsos MORI poll, SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie said: "This record poll shows that our positive campaign to make Scotland stronger at Westminster by electing a team of SNP MPs is gaining momentum, but we are working hard for every vote because we take absolutely nothing for granted.
"More anti-Tory MPs than Tory MPs in the House of Commons means that we can lock David Cameron out of Downing Street - so voting SNP delivers a strong voice for Scotland and progressive policies for the whole UK, including an end to cuts."
The Ipsos MORI poll also indicated that 80% of Scots are certain to vote, five points down on the turnout at the referendum on Scottish independence last September and 16 points up on the percentage of Scots that voted in the last general election in 2010 (64%).
Reacting to the increase in support for the Tories, now just three percentage points behind Labour, the party's deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: "With a week to go before we vote, this poll shows that the Scottish Conservatives are the pro-UK party which has won the arguments in the campaign and is now gaining support.
"People in Scotland have had a good look at Labour and the Lib Dems over the last five weeks. They appear to have been left unimpressed and have now decided against them.
"If people want a strong Unionist party that can take on the SNP, they have to vote for it. They have to vote Scottish Conservative."
Scottish Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale said: "The choice facing Scots next week is clear. We can vote for Labour to take the road to a fairer and better nation for working-class families.
"Or we can back the SNP and go down the road to another referendum. When there is so much inequality in our country, the priority right now just can't be another drawn-out referendum campaign.
"A vote for anyone other than Labour makes it more likely the Tories will be the largest party across the UK and that David Cameron will walk back into Downing Street."
The seat predictions based on the Ipsos MORI poll are based on estimates from the Electoral Calculus website which looks at uniform national swing across seats.
In reality some seats may prove tough to crack for the SNP with local battles bucking the national trend.
With the election next week, there is limited time for a dramatic reversal in the polls, however.
Poll: SNP could win all 59 Scottish seats in general election
The Herald - SNP could win all 59 Scottish seats in the General Election, new polling data has suggested.
The latest and final Ipsos MORI poll for STV News puts support for Nicola Sturgeon's party at 54%, up by two percentage points on the last poll, with Labour trailing on 20%, down from 24%.
Support for the Conservatives has increased by five points to 17% while the Liberal Democrats are on 5%, up one point, the Greens are on 2%, down by two points, Ukip are polling at 1%, with support for other parties also at 1%.
Using these figures, the Electoral Calculus website predicts that the SNP would take all 59 seats in Scotland.
Ipsos MORI questioned 1,071 people between April 22 and 27 on how they would vote if there were a Westminster General Election tomorrow.
It is the latest poll to show a record level of support for nationalists after a survey by TNS published on Monday put the SNP on 54%.
It recorded support for Labour at 22%, the Tories at 13%, Lib Dems at 6% and the Greens and Ukip both on 2%.
Using the Electoral Calculus seat predictor, the TNS results put the SNP on 57 seats, with one each for Labour and the Lib Dems.
Another TNS poll published today in the Herald newspaper shows record levels of support for Ms Sturgeon across the country.
The snapshot of 1,200 adults in Scotland, England and Wales shows the First Minister has the highest approval rating of the party leaders.
The poll gave Ms Sturgeon a Britain-wide net approval rating of plus 33, a record for TNS.
She is followed by Nigel Farage on plus 12, David Cameron on plus 7, Ed Miliband on minus 8, and Nick Clegg on minus 22.
Ms Sturgeon is top of the polling in every part of the country, leading on plus 30 in north-east England, plus 38 in Wales and the West Country and plus 33 in Greater London.
In Scotland, her approval rating surges to plus 55, where she is the only leader with a positive net rating.
Commenting on the Ipsos MORI poll, SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie said: "This record poll shows that our positive campaign to make Scotland stronger at Westminster by electing a team of SNP MPs is gaining momentum, but we are working hard for every vote because we take absolutely nothing for granted.
"More anti-Tory MPs than Tory MPs in the House of Commons means that we can lock David Cameron out of Downing Street - so voting SNP delivers a strong voice for Scotland and progressive policies for the whole UK, including an end to cuts."
The Ipsos MORI poll also indicated that 80% of Scots are certain to vote, five points down on the turnout at the referendum on Scottish independence last September and 16 points up on the percentage of Scots that voted in the last general election in 2010 (64%).
Reacting to the increase in support for the Tories, now just three percentage points behind Labour, the party's deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: "With a week to go before we vote, this poll shows that the Scottish Conservatives are the pro-UK party which has won the arguments in the campaign and is now gaining support.
"People in Scotland have had a good look at Labour and the Lib Dems over the last five weeks. They appear to have been left unimpressed and have now decided against them.
"If people want a strong Unionist party that can take on the SNP, they have to vote for it. They have to vote Scottish Conservative."
Scottish Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale said: "The choice facing Scots next week is clear. We can vote for Labour to take the road to a fairer and better nation for working-class families.
"Or we can back the SNP and go down the road to another referendum. When there is so much inequality in our country, the priority right now just can't be another drawn-out referendum campaign.
"A vote for anyone other than Labour makes it more likely the Tories will be the largest party across the UK and that David Cameron will walk back into Downing Street."
