British parliamentary election: Liberal Democrats win in Scotland, SNP suffers bitter defeat

A new beginning for Scotland after Parliamentary election

Edinburgh (dpa) – With the closure of the last constituency in Scotland, the recent parliamentary election marks a turning point for the country's political landscape. The constituency of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire announced that the mandate was being awarded to Angus MacDonald by the Liberal Democrats which increased their number of MPs to 72 - a record for the party. Statistical inconsistencies led to a double recount of the votes, which ultimately determined the final result.

The change in Scottish politics

The results are not only positive for the Scottish National Party (SNP) but mark a significant change. The SNP, which originally pushed for independence from Great Britain, only sent 9 MPs to the House of Commons, compared to 48 previously. This defeat is also a bitter disappointment for supporters of Scottish independence.

The election brought the social democratic Labour Party under Keir Starmer to the post of Prime Minister as it won numerous constituencies. With 412 MPs as representatives in the House of Commons, they will take over the government of Great Britain.

A look at the new political landscape

The Conservatives only have 121 seats, which is a low point for the party. The established party Reform UK, led by Brexit supporter Nigel Farage, is entering parliament with five members for the first time. The Greens and the Welsh independence party Plaid Cymru also each have four seats.

More than half of the 650 MPs are newcomers to the House of Commons, with the proportion of women at a historic 40 percent. The title of "Baby of the House" goes to 22-year-old Sam Carling from the Labour Party.

A critical look at the SNP

The SNP's disappointing result in this election is seen as serious and damaging for the party. The party failed to convince the population of the urgency of independence. However, polls show that supporters and opponents of independence are still neck and neck.

Commentators point out that other issues played a greater role for voters in Scotland in this election. In addition, the SNP has lost trust, partly due to internal disputes and corruption scandals within the party. The new beginning in Scottish politics brings with it a number of challenges, but also the opportunity for a renewal of the political system.