Stephen Gethins, an SNP MSP, has called on political parties to heed the electorate's voice on Scottish independence, pointing to a record 73 pro-independence MSPs elected to Holyrood. The SNP secured 58 seats, while the Scottish Greens took 15, marking the largest pro-independence majority in the parliament's history.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, Mr Gethins emphasised that the result surpasses the pro-independence majority of 2011, when then Prime Minister David Cameron granted a referendum. He urged parties to recognise the clear mandate, stating, “The people have spoken and the weekend after an election is a good time for us all to reflect on that.”
Despite the SNP losing six seats compared to 2021, Mr Gethins argued that the party had won the election “emphatically in every single part of Scotland.” He stressed that tackling the cost-of-living crisis would be a priority for First Minister John Swinney, but independence should remain a key focus.
Pollster Mark Diffley of the Diffley Partnership noted that the SNP benefited from the rise of Reform UK, which split the anti-SNP vote. He observed that the SNP won constituency seats on relatively low vote shares, around 31-32%, as Reform UK acted as a “big disruptor.” Despite losing about a quarter of its voters from 2021, the SNP remained in power with a reduced majority.
