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.
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: “David Davis? The Westminster English Tory? That David Davis? Isn’t WM the pit of Hell, and aren’t Tories the devil’s…” Jul 10, 18:16
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: “I’ve had more than enough of that lot. Strangely enough though, the people in the ME who really understand what…” Jul 10, 18:10
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: “That’s just daft, sarah. If the people have direct and immediate power, then there is no need for politicians at…” Jul 10, 18:02
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: “Cheers, Callum. I’m defo not a Yoon by that definition. I think Scots are too corrupt, too perverted and too…” Jul 10, 17:54
Red on Just Good Friends: “Don’t forget Nicola’s refugee pals. According to Police Scotland’s Operation Cerrar, they’ve raped a load of weans in Glasgow. Silence…” Jul 10, 17:34
Onlooker on Just Good Friends: “You lost me at ‘y’all’. Yank idiocy.” Jul 10, 17:34
Callum on Just Good Friends: “U.K. has given Scotland Thatcher, Major, Blair, Cameron, May, BoJo, Truss, Sunak, Starmer and possibly Farage. That represents institutional idiocy.…” Jul 10, 17:25
Cathures72 on Just Good Friends: “She really seems to gravitate towards the worst people.” Jul 10, 17:23
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: ““Only the most cowardly and idiotic still support them” Yet they are predicted to do well in 2026. Because a…” Jul 10, 17:10
Hatey McHateface on Too Tight To Mention: “The Scots just want shot of the likes of you. We wouldn’t have the shits that are running us at…” Jul 10, 17:05
Hatey McHateface on Just Good Friends: “Defo something rotten in the state of Scotland. I’m grateful and relieved we still have the institutions of the UK…” Jul 10, 16:54
callum on Just Good Friends: “Progressive = Predatory” Jul 10, 16:49
Derek on Just Good Friends: “It’s amazing how obvious it is to other men when a certain type of right-on “anti-misogynist” guy is a wolf…” Jul 10, 16:17
Mark Beggan on Just Good Friends: “Another winner from the BBC.” Jul 10, 15:58
Sven on Just Good Friends: “Corrado Mella @ 14.09. I do believe that we’ve all got it, Corrado. It’s achieving independence and sorting out the…” Jul 10, 15:43
lothianlad on Just Good Friends: “The disgusting SNP! Only the most cowardly and idiotic still support them. They sure aint for independence.” Jul 10, 15:41
Ian on Just Good Friends: “Despite his belief that transwomen are women, he isn’t accused of raping a transwoman. Odd that they know what a…” Jul 10, 15:17
GM on Just Good Friends: “It has been 40/50 years in development and in my opinion is still developing/degenerating but I agree with your assessment.” Jul 10, 14:56
sarah on Just Good Friends: “The guillotines would be operated by the abusers. What we need is direct democracy where the people have direct and…” Jul 10, 14:28
David on Just Good Friends: “I’ve been triggered by this post. She recently said that transgenders must feel unsafe about the Supreme Court ruling. Get…” Jul 10, 14:23
David on Just Good Friends: “Just seeing Nicola Sturgeon with her Covid mask on. Deleted WhatsApps from the Covid protocol inquest. We’ll never get the…” Jul 10, 14:21
David on Just Good Friends: “I slag Sturgeon the Judas off further. Her marriage – failed! Her political legacy – tainted! Gender self ID -…” Jul 10, 14:17
David on Just Good Friends: “I’d argue that Stuegeon is indeed in prison. She’s lied about who she is her entire life. And now’s she’s…” Jul 10, 14:12
David on Just Good Friends: “Orchestrating a conspiracy against an innocent man, is, in my opinion; on par with the most heinous of crimes of…” Jul 10, 14:10
Corrado Mella on Just Good Friends: “I will repeat this until y’all get it. The modern western structures of power are the perfect environment for the…” Jul 10, 14:09
robertkknight on Just Good Friends: “Can’t argue with a single word, Lorn.” Jul 10, 13:55
Mark Beggan on Just Good Friends: “Those who slip justice in this life are first in line for justice in the next.” Jul 10, 13:49
Mark Beggan on Just Good Friends: “Well said. It has failed. The backlash is yet to come.” Jul 10, 13:45
Alf Baird on Just Good Friends: “In always looking to punish non-conformists and other non-believers, woke-ism seems another form of fascism which divides the working class…” Jul 10, 13:36
Sven on Just Good Friends: ““If you choose bad companions, no one will believe that you are anything but bad yourself.” Aesop’s Fables.” Jul 10, 13:10