It would seem to me that strategic voting replaced party loyalties across swathes of the United Kingdom as people realised the inevitability of a big win for the SNP in Scotland and reacted to the much heralded arrival of multi-party politics. But I think that Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmon need to move forward carefully as they square up to a Tory government at Westminster. There may be friction among SNP MPs who do not consider the outcome to be a vote for devolution, rather a mandate for a strong Scottish voice in the House of Commons. Mr Salmond has already said he regards the SNP’s landslide victory as a “staging post” to independence but an exclusively nationalist agenda from the old guard of the party may disenchant (nay, even infuriate) new SNP MPs.
Then there's the issue of incoming revenues for Scotland from the rest of the UK. UKIP threats to slash Scotland’s funding to the tune of billions of pounds led the SNP to call on Westminster party leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the Barnet formula. But successful demands for further devolution of tax-raising powers could come with a twist, with Scotland expected to fund more of its left of centre socialist ideals.
On to UKIP then, my personal reaction was to raise a cheer that the storm in the teacup is over with even the Tory defector, Reckless by name and reckless by nature, beaten into second place by the Conservative candidate. Phew, I no longer have to listen to the beer swigging Mr Farage talking down to me.
Labour, oh Labour! I think Ed Balls lost his seat on account of the woman on Question Time who asked Ed Milliband why he had kept him on as shadow chancellor, when in the corporate sector Balls would have been fired way back on account of dismissing the infamous "no money left" memo as a joke. Unfortunately it was not a joke. Ed Milliband's prospects were also sharply curtailed by his refusal to own up to Labour's overspending when in power and carrying on borrowing and spending, even as the bow of HMS UK was under water. Ed M - sincere socialist with good credentials but somehow unable to quash the notion that it is official Labour Party policy to hate the rich, excluding some of its donors.
As for the Lib Dems, I don't think a broken promise over tuition fees can be held responsible for the decimation of the party. They paid the price of tactical voting. Just that.
Well, David Cameron has been returned to Number 10 and the first question that comes to my mind is what kind of outcome we can expect from the EU referendum in 2017. I for one will be taking heart on account of the wisdom of the electorate on 7th May. While we British enjoy the odd euromyth, I don't think the alleged banning of straight bananas, the renaming of Bombay Mix to Mumbai mix, or reports of a directive ordering barmaids to cover up their cleavages are going to hold much sway at the ballot box. If Cameron and Osborne can achieve a reasonable renegotiation of the UK's membership, the referendum should result in a resounding "Yes" to the EU. "Ah, but the revolting backbenchers", I hear you say. Well, Cameron is not John Major. He is not Mr Grey. I think Cameron unleashed from a coalition is likely to turn out to be a 007 acolyte. Mr Slick .... nice suit and licensed to kill. Added to which I think it's good that he has retained his core cabinet.
So, the election result was followed by markets up, currency up and, as far as I can work out, across the other party divides .... acceptance. But it's a shame about that teacher encountered on the Glasgow to Bristol train. He had drunk a bit too much in a post-election wake and announced to the carriage that Gove had just about finished him off and he couldn't take any more. Cameron had better be very careful overseeing the next round of cuts, some "hard working" people have already suffered enough. Civil society, or civil disruption? Your call, David.
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