Anger as Scottish elections play second fiddle to UK referendum

Glasgow SNP MSP Bob Doris has today reacted with anger to reports in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper which suggest that the results of the Scottish Parliament elections in May be not be known for over 36 hours.

The report centre’s around a discussion paper from the Interim Electoral Management Board which warns that 19 of Scotland’s 32 council’s have opted to count on the following day due to the pressures of holding to polls on the same day.

Commenting, SNP MSP Bob Doris said: “It was bad enough last time having to wait until Friday evening before finding out who had won but with this AV referenda who knows how long we’ll have to wait.

“The Tory government should never have planned to hold their referendum on the same day as the elections for the Scottish Parliament, and for Cameron and Clegg’s plebiscite to delay the Scottish General Election is nothing short of outrageous.

“Everyone in Scotland recognises that the majority of decisions that affect them on a day to day basis take place at Holyrood and not in Westminster. Justice, Health, Education are all devolved to Scotland and is what the Scottish electorate care about most. It is a straight fight between this SNP Government and a lacklustre-Labour party, there is no need to muddy the water with this referendum that no one really wants.

“The date for Scotland’s election has been in place since 1998 and we all seen the complete shambles that occurred in 2007. After the Gould report I thought we had seen the last combined elections in Scotland but unfortunately the Tories and Lib Dems didn’t want it that way – it just highlights how little they know or care about Scotland.”