Much of the commentariat and media has been in a froth for the last 24 hours about the supposed failure of the nation’s pollsters to predict the Conservative victory. This, for example, was Labour’s highly-paid election guru David Axelrod:
But the truth is that the polls – just like the heavily-maligned exit poll which turned out to be bang on the money – got nothing wrong. The people interpreting them did.
We’ve done another poll in conjunction with our dear chums at Panelbase, readers, which we think will be the last full-size Scottish one before the polls open. You may already have seen their headline voting-intention stats, but if not they’re below.
Those numbers suggest, depending which electoral forecaster you feed them into, over 50 seats for the SNP. The poll delivered some extremely interesting results, but we’re going to tease you and hold most of them over until tomorrow, because it’ll actually be a really slow news day.
(September 18 last year was one of the most miserable days of our lives, and we’re not talking about the result. It just seemed to drag on forever and ever, with nothing happening until past midnight. This way there’ll at least be something to read.)
But as a little taster, here’s a fascinating info-nugget.
Greg Moodie’s Election Dissection, a compilation of splendid cartoon strips from The National, Bella Caledonia and elsewhere, is available to order now.
Cynicus on Spoiler Alert: ““Credit should be apportioned to Stuart Campbell, proprietor of the Wings Over Scotland website, for identifying that several of the…” Dec 11, 03:33
Jill on The Valley Of The Dolls: “I hope that Sandy Peggie has the reserves of strength needed to carry on. What she’s been put through already…” Dec 11, 03:16
willie on Spoiler Alert: “What amount of wrong doing does one need to do to have sanction levied on the wrong doer. Biological man…” Dec 11, 01:08
Doug on Spoiler Alert: “it looks like mass litigation is going to be the only thing that breaks the stonewall ideology grip on our…” Dec 11, 00:11
Marie on Spoiler Alert: ““Lowly employment judges”. Lowly indeed. Lowly and cowardly.” Dec 10, 23:23
joolz on Spoiler Alert: ““The tribunal’s logic would justify installing smoke alarms only after the fire has started.” Spot on! I’ve been telling TRAs…” Dec 10, 22:38
holymacmoses on Spoiler Alert: ““One of the most troubling passages asserts there is insufficient evidence that a male person poses greater risk than a…” Dec 10, 22:18
100%Yes on Spoiler Alert: “Geoff Anderson, I apologize I got you confused with someone else.” Dec 10, 21:04
100%Yes on Spoiler Alert: “Its funny you’ve got a voice today, well done. Because on the constitutional question the SNP has you pissing your…” Dec 10, 20:48
Jay on Spoiler Alert: “Frearghas, thank you for making me think further than before. Returning to practical circumstances, if there were a channel of…” Dec 10, 20:12
Geoff Anderson on Spoiler Alert: “Times Sandie Peggie case Stu given credit Archived https://archive.is/SK4Cv” Dec 10, 19:56
Craig on Spoiler Alert: “https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75v1d6npr1o Not in the habit of posting a BBC website link but Baroness Falkner is saying exactly what Rev said…” Dec 10, 19:42
Aidan on Spoiler Alert: “Quite 100% Yes, it might be different if Liberate were a genuine challenger to the SNP, but 6 months out…” Dec 10, 19:14
Lorncal on Spoiler Alert: “I really think it goes way beyond that now, Marie. Some are openly hostile to women’s rights and biased towards…” Dec 10, 18:45
agentx on Spoiler Alert: “On BBC Reporting Scotland tonight – Robin Moira White (“I was the first barrister to transition from male to female…” Dec 10, 18:44
Lorncal on Spoiler Alert: “Lord Hodge, soon to retire, is a Scottish judge in the Supreme Court, James, and the For Women Scotland case…” Dec 10, 18:42
100%Yes on Spoiler Alert: “So explain to us all how voting for liberate Scotland and the SNP remaining in power benefit Scotland and how…” Dec 10, 18:29
Lorncal on Spoiler Alert: “Bilbo, interference by the state in the legal system is totally against all democratic principles. Separation of state and judiciary…” Dec 10, 18:28
Alf Baird on Spoiler Alert: “In colonial societies the co-opted dominant national party: “helps the government to hold the people down. It becomes more and…” Dec 10, 18:25
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Spoiler Alert: “WHAT’S GOING ON? “At great turning-points of world-history the relativity of our traditional measures and opinions manifests itself in a…” Dec 10, 18:24
Hatey McHateface on Spoiler Alert: “Naw, you’ve got that wrong. It was an episode of “Rumpole Of The Bailey” wot dun it.” Dec 10, 18:16
Lorncal on Spoiler Alert: “James, I would dearly love to to see an independent Scotland but just look across the water to Ireland to…” Dec 10, 18:16
Hatey McHateface on Spoiler Alert: “Good one, TH, but a smidge verbose. I asked Grok to summarise: “Vote SNP one and two for another 5…” Dec 10, 18:13
Geoff Anderson on Spoiler Alert: “Dr. Upton. The credible witness https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpqnq3gpe0vo” Dec 10, 18:05
100%Yes on Spoiler Alert: “Liberate Scotland, was a great idea if all Indy party’s got involved but they ain’t. Liberate Scotland constant call for…” Dec 10, 18:02
Hatey McHateface on The Valley Of The Dolls: “Poor old Bilbo. Congenitally unable to comprehend that working class and Tory voting have never been and never will be…” Dec 10, 18:01
Colin Dawson on Spoiler Alert: “Let’s not forget that Fife Health Board (and countless other public and private bodies) were following allegedly unlawful instructions issued…” Dec 10, 17:26
Marie on Spoiler Alert: “If judges can ignore the law why can’t Joe Public?” Dec 10, 17:23
Marie on Spoiler Alert: “Yep. The rule of law – who cares for that?? Not Scotland’s judges.” Dec 10, 17:20
Ex President Xiden on Spoiler Alert: “We are ruled by an elite class of jackasses.” Dec 10, 17:15
