Why #BothVotesSNP really matters in North East Scotland

by Olaf Stando
Posted on
3 years ago
3 min read

The Scottish Parliament election on May 6 will be the most important in Scotland’s history.

We can re-elect Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister, secure an independence referendum and put Scotland’s recovery firmly in Scotland’s hands.

We can deliver the boldest, most transformative policies yet to build a fairer country.

  • The biggest NHS pay rise in history of devolution.
  • 100,000 more affordable homes – with at least 70% for social rent.
  • A new National Care Service.
  • Universal free school meals for all primary pupils.
  • A free laptop or tablet for every school pupil.
  • Net zero by 2045.
  • Double the “game-changing” Scottish Child Payment.
  • Council tax abolished for all under 22s.
  • ScotRail in public hands.
  • Fast-track cancer diagnostic centres in every part of Scotland.
  • £100 million Green Jobs Fund.

But if you want to make this happen, you’ve got to vote for it.

In North East Scotland and across the country, the only way to secure indyref2 and a progressive SNP government is with Both Votes SNP.

Here’s why.

What happened in 2016?

In 2016, the total pro-independence vote on the list was 49.4% – higher than in 2011.

The SNP constituency vote in 2016 was also higher than that in 2011.

But despite that, the SNP lost the majority and fewer pro-independence MSPs – 69 down from 72 – got elected.

So how do more pro-independence voters translate into fewer seats?

If you want a pro-independence SNP government, you have to vote for it

The answer is simple. In 2011, almost all SNP constituency voters (45.4%) also voted SNP on the regional list (44%).

The gap was -1.4%, and the SNP picked up 16 list seats across Scotland.

The SNP won every single constituency in the North East in 2011 – but thanks to Both Votes SNP, we also won a list seat.

It was these 16 crucial list seats that took the SNP over the line and helped secure the referendum.

Mind the gap

In 2016, that gap more than tripled. The SNP constituency vote rose (46.5%), but the SNP list vote fell (41.7%), meaning a -4.8% gap.

In North East, that gap was -3.8%, enough to lose the list seat we won in 2011.

The list vote is also the ultimate insurance policy in the North East. In 2016, had we lost any more constituency seats, the SNP would gain a list seat.

In 2016, if everyone who voted SNP in the constituency also voted SNP on the list, the SNP would have won a majority.

Don’t risk it with the smaller parties

Other parties say that you don’t need Both Votes SNP in order to vote for independence.

They say people should vote for them instead and that vote-splitting can increase the number of pro-independence MSPs.

But even though more people voted for pro-independence parties in 2016, their tactical gamble failed. It didn’t work in 2016, so it won’t work in 2021 either.

Holyrood got less pro-independence MSPs, and Westminster used it as an excuse to question Scotland’s pro-independence mandate.

The SNP have never formed a government without list MSPs

The list MSPs – in 2007, 2011 and 2016 – were crucial in getting the SNP over the line and into government.

They were crucial to delivering progress with policies like:

  • Free tuition
  • Free prescriptions
  • Free personal care
  • Expanded free childcare
  • The Baby Box
  • The Scottish Child Payment
  • World-leading climate targets

Giving up on the list means giving up on an SNP majority – which means handing more control over Scotland’s recovery and our future to other parties, and risking our chances of securing indyref2.

List votes make the crucial difference

Put simply: Both Votes SNP – voting for your SNP candidate in the constituency, and voting SNP on the North East list ballot – is crucial to securing an SNP government that will deliver indyref2.

And don’t just take our word for it.

Take that of Prof. John Curtice, renowned academic and polling expert, who agrees.

On May 6, it has to be #BothVotesSNP

If you want to re-elect Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister, vote for it with Both Votes SNP.

If you want bold, progressive policies, vote for them with Both Votes SNP.

If you want Scotland’s future to be Scotland’s choice, vote for it with Both Votes SNP.

In this election, digital campaigning is more important than ever – so help us spread the word!

If each of us shares it with 20 friends, family or neighbours, we can reach the majority of voters in the North East – and around 2.5 million voters around Scotland – with just a few clicks.

Spread the #BothVotesSNP message:

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