London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Scottish election results 2022: How did the SNP get so good at winning?

Scottish election results 2022: How did the SNP get so good at winning?

Eleven in a row. That is now the SNP's record of success in Scotland-wide elections. They have got very good at winning.

Just because we are used to their success does not make it any less remarkable.

That they are still the dominant force in Scottish politics after 15 years in power at Holyrood is a significant achievement.

It is not that their record in devolved government is squeaky clean. Their decision to reduce the share of the Scottish budget that goes to fund local services was a significant issue in this campaign.

There are big post-Covid backlogs in the NHS and the justice system that need sorted and a huge controversy over two overdue, overbudget ferries under construction on the Clyde.

Whatever their shortcomings, the SNP with Nicola Sturgeon as leader remains the party of preference for a large chunk of Scottish voters.

They also have the best campaigning organisation and the largest activist base in Scottish politics.

One thing that tends to bind the SNP's support is the promise of another referendum on independence, which Ms Sturgeon wants to deliver before the end of 2023.

Despite that looming deadline, independence was less prominent in this local election campaign than it was in the Holyrood contest a year ago.

It is not clear how the first minister can bring about a referendum that is beyond legal challenge, given that Boris Johnson remains firmly against agreeing terms.

Douglas Ross was supported on the campaign trail by his predecessor, Ruth Davidson


Defence of the union has helped to drive support for the Scottish Conservatives in recent years.

They performed exceptionally well in local and UK elections in Scotland five years ago when SNP calls for indyref2 in the aftermath of the Brexit vote were first pressed in earnest.

In this contest, the Tories were still appealing for votes on the basis of putting local priorities ahead of SNP priorities, which was a coded reference to a referendum but was not enough to galvanise their support.

The Tories did strengthen their position in some areas like Moray where the Scottish party leader, Douglas Ross, is an MP. But overall they suffered heavy losses for which Mr Ross blames partygate and the prime minister.

He's stopped short of calling - as he once did - for the prime minister to resign, arguing that there's a premium on stable leadership during the Ukraine war.

However, some Scottish Tories have pointed the finger at Mr Ross for flip-flopping over whether the prime minister should continue in office as a significant factor in their losses.

There does not appear to be any immediate threat to his leadership and his predecessor Ruth Davidson has rallied behind him.

This election is still a significant setback for Douglas Ross and his party. They have lost second place and political momentum to a Scottish Labour party that's been in the doldrums for more than a decade.

Anas Sarwar celebrated after Scottish Labour gained a bunch of new councillors


A year into his leadership of Scottish Labour, this feels like a breakthrough for Anas Sarwar who fought a campaign demanding more action from both the UK and Scottish governments to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Although the party's vote share only increased slightly, Labour has gained a bunch of new councillors and a new narrative.

It's been a good election for the Scottish Liberal Democrats under their new leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton - doubling their seats to a dozen in Edinburgh for example.

To some extent pro-union voters appear to have been more prepared to shop around at this election.


The independence supporting Scottish Greens seem to have been helped rather than hindered by their power-sharing deal with the SNP at Holyrood - achieving their best ever local results.

The Greens could now be potential parties of power in places like Glasgow where a tie-up with the SNP would produce an overall majority.

There will be plenty of haggling between different political groups in councils across Scotland now to decide who will form the administrations.

The proportional voting system has, once again, ensured that in most of Scotland's thirty two councils no one party has overall control.

There are notable exceptions. The SNP won a majority of the seats in Dundee as did Labour in West Dunbartonshire, where their formidable deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, is an MSP.

There was no breakthrough for Alex Salmond's Alba party in this election. They won no new seats and those councillors who had defected to them were not re-elected.

For all the more established parties except the Scottish Conservatives there is much to celebrate in election 2022.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×