Has the SNP historically abstained a lot in votes at Westminster that affect matters otherwise devolved?
Yeah, I could see, in theory, the SNP participating in a coalition Westminster government. That sort of thing - a regionalist party in the national government - is easier to comprehend on the continent, where they have a lot more understanding of how coalitions work. The closest I guess the UK has come to that was the 2010 scenario involving a Lab-LD coalition, which wouldn't have commanded a majority, so the question became of how any of the Ulsterians would get dragged in.
And, of course, the Irish Nationalists of yore provided oodles of outside support to the Liberals in Gladstone/Asquith days, demonstrating considerable patience in the process.
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Yeah, I could see, in theory, the SNP participating in a coalition Westminster government. That sort of thing - a regionalist party in the national government - is easier to comprehend on the continent, where they have a lot more understanding of how coalitions work. The closest I guess the UK has come to that was the 2010 scenario involving a Lab-LD coalition, which wouldn't have commanded a majority, so the question became of how any of the Ulsterians would get dragged in.
And, of course, the Irish Nationalists of yore provided oodles of outside support to the Liberals in Gladstone/Asquith days, demonstrating considerable patience in the process.