On Fun Facts about the 2015 Westminister General Election in Scotland

[danieldwilliam]

Here follows a few fun facts about the election in Scotland.

Total votes cast approxiately 2,910 thousand , up from the 2010 figure of 2,466 thousand by some 445 thousand votes

Turn out was 71.1% giving the number of registered voters at 4,093 thousand. (Registered voters for the Independence Referendum was higher at 4,283 thousand - EU citizens are eligible to vote in Scottish elections but not UK elections)

Turnout in the whole of the UK as 66.1% and in England 65.9%.

In 2010 Scottish turnout was 63.8%. In the UK as a whole 65.1%

The turnout figure in 2015 is slightly unflattering to Scottish engagement as the number of registered electors has increased from 3,865 thousand by 223 thousand to 4,093 thousand.

Had the number of registered electors remained the same turnout in Scotland would have been 75.3%


So a markedly higher turnout in Scotland on an increased electorate. Well done us I think. Well done us.

Had the SNP stood in all the seats in the UK and acheived the same results as they did in Scotland the seat allocation would be
SNP 617
Conserative 18
Labour 13
Lib Dems 1
Others 1

That's on 49.97% of the vote - not quite half of the vote.

If the SNP could find the right 1,319 voters in Edinburgh South, 409 voters in Orkney and Shetland and 400 voters in Dumfries and persuade them to change their vote they would have a clean sweep of all the seats on just over 50% of the vote.

Glasgow North East records the highest swing in a general election ever of 43.9% from Labour to the SNP.

UKIP got more votes (47,078) than the Greens (39,205) and increased their vote share by 0.9%, slightly more than the Greens 0.7% increase.

The Greens poll less than half the 87 thousand votes they achieved in the 2011 Holyrood election and about 1/3rd the 108 thousand votes they polled in the 2014 Euro elections.

UKIP polled over 140 thousand votes in the 2014 Euro elections.

Comments

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

SNP 617... That's on 49.97% of the vote - not quite half of the vote.

Yikes! That's a really terrifying indictment of what FPTP can deliver when you have one really popular party vs. multiple less popular parties. (As, indeed it actually has delivered in Scotland.)

I knew that the Tories and Labour both individually often achieved that sort of vote percentage in the 1950s, so checked in on the 1955 result as an example. Sure enough, the Tories got 49.7% of the vote nationwide, but only 344 seats, because the opposition vote was concentrated in a single party - Labour. It ain't any more.

Obviously I am a fervent supporter of electoral reform anyway, but this one really makes me want to run out into the streets this minute yelling "STV NOW!!!"

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

Yeah - it does rather starkly illustrate the utter rubbishness of FPTP doesn't it?

And there is also a bit of a worry for a future potentially independent Scotland. I'm not sure I'd like to live in an independent Scotland following a referendum win of 50.03%. That's a big step to take with only 1 in 2 voters in favour. Even if I'm won of them.

The irony for the SNP (which I am sure they find hilarious) is that having been given a boost by FPTP they still find themselves with little in the way of actual power because the Tories have been given a similar boost and ended up with a majority. HO McHO HO.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Thanks for doing the maths!

And yes, well done us!