UK Liberal Democrat leader Swinson loses seat to Scottish National Party

 

Liberal Democrats candidate Jo Swinson speaks after losing her seat in East Dunbartonshire constituency, at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Bishopbriggs, Britain December 13, 2019. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The leader of Britain's pro-European Union Liberal Democrats, Jo Swinson, lost her parliamentary seat to the Scottish National Party on Friday.

 

The Liberal Democrats had hoped to win over 'remain' voters by pledging to overturn Britain's 2016 vote to leave the EU but an exit poll predicted they would gain just one seat in parliament compared to the last national election in 2017.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservatives are on course to win a large majority after voters backed his bid to deliver Brexit on Jan. 31. The SNP are predicted to win 50 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

 

"Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border," said Swinson, who only Liberal Democrat leader in July. "These are very significant results for the future of our country."

 

Swinson, who held the seat of East Dunbartonshire from 2005-2015 and then regained it in 2017, lost by just 149 votes.

 

She did not say whether she would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Democrats, who were in coalition with the Conservatives from 2010-2015, but said she would be making further remarks later on Friday.

 

"I still believe that we as a country can be warm and generous, inclusive and open, and that by working together with our nearest neighbours we can achieve so much more," she said.

 

"Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for these values that guide our liberal movement: openness, fairness, inclusivity. We will stand up for hope."

 

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-13

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That hurts.

She was a weak leader.

17 minutes ago, stevenl said:

That hurts.

Som nam nah.

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border," said Swinson, who only Liberal Democrat leader in July. "These are very significant results for the future of our country."

The vote shows the Scottish people have rejected the English parties and the headlong rush into brexit oblivion. 

54 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

The vote shows the Scottish people have rejected the English parties and the headlong rush into brexit oblivion. 

We don't care about Scotland and Boris will block your referendum like you blocked the Brexit the last 2 years.

4 minutes ago, Bell1234 said:

We don't care about Scotland and Boris will block your referendum like you blocked the Brexit the last 2 years.

The English don’t care-well there’s a shocker. 
 

johnson not respecting the vote of the Scottish people? Quelle surprise. 
 

I’m not Scottish, so not my vote. 

Blocked brexit?

A: I’ve done no such thing. 
 

B: johnson and his merry band of no dealers stabbed may in the back and were responsible for blocking brexit many moons ago. 
 

 

I was hoping maybe Boris would lose his seat. That would have made things really interesting, to me at least

3 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

The English don’t care-well there’s a shocker. 
 

johnson not respecting the vote of the Scottish people? Quelle surprise. 
 

I’m not Scottish, so not my vote. 

Blocked brexit?

A: I’ve done no such thing. 
 

B: johnson and his merry band of no dealers stabbed may in the back and were responsible for blocking brexit many moons ago. 
 

 

BREXIT is on, SNP will want to leave the UK, Good let them go.  Last figures I saw gave the English, repeat English, tax payers subsidising Scotland's budget to the tune of 64% and even so last year they had a further budget deficit of 8%.  But the good old SNP have the answer, introduce a tourist tax of £1 per night on tourists.  With the Japanese and French owning the whisky distiller's they say tourism is very important.  So why ruin it.

Lets see the figures on the headlines:  If Scotland goes independent Income Tax could be abolished in England.  We shall still subsidise Wales over 40% and Northern Ireland a slightly larger amount but they seem to appreciate it so ok.

Come on, lets have a right wing back lash

3 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

BREXIT is on, SNP will want to leave the UK, Good let them go.  Last figures I saw gave the English, repeat English, tax payers subsidising Scotland's budget to the tune of 64% and even so last year they had a further budget deficit of 8%.  But the good old SNP have the answer, introduce a tourist tax of £1 per night on tourists.  With the Japanese and French owning the whisky distiller's they say tourism is very important.  So why ruin it.

Lets see the figures on the headlines:  If Scotland goes independent Income Tax could be abolished in England.  We shall still subsidise Wales over 40% and Northern Ireland a slightly larger amount but they seem to appreciate it so ok.

Come on, lets have a right wing back lash

Oh good, we agree. The SNP have the right to push for independence. 
 

Good to see. 

Very well deserved. This is what happens when you disrespect Democracy and disrespect the electorate.

 

Please collect your belongings and GTFOOH 

 

 

 

 

Serves you right you idiot woman.

 

Brexit: Lib Dems and SNP join forces to push for December ...

 

And you did it for short term, parochial, partisan, party gain.

 

Look where it got you.

 

Idiot woman.

 

 

Yes, let's all be touchy-feely and inclusive.......while completely ignoring the democratically expressed will of the people. Good riddance.

She was trying to punch well above her weight, she had delusions of grandeur and actually thought she could be Prime Minister it's no real surprise to me.

 

Also her plan to scrap the Brexit vote immediately alienated over 17 million votes, of people who actually vote

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

The vote shows the Scottish people have rejected the English parties and the headlong rush into brexit oblivion. 

 

No it doesn't. 

 

First, the parties, other than those favoring "nationalism" are British parties and have been since their inceptions.

 

The vote shows that in Scotland, where the Conservatives have been weakly supported for decades, Labour have really lost it. Corbyn is even less popular then Michael Foote. The SNP leader, albeit she lost by a smidgeon, was equally unpopular and cost the LibDems dear with her poor performances and lack of inspiring policies. 

 

Many Scots won't vote Conservative and therefore the only viable option was SNP. 

 

That doesn't mean all those people are clamoring for independence despite their ambitious egotistical first minister "demanding" another once in a generation referendum.

 

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

The English don’t care-well there’s a shocker. 
 

johnson not respecting the vote of the Scottish people? Quelle surprise. 
 

I’m not Scottish, so not my vote. 

Blocked brexit?

A: I’ve done no such thing. 
 

B: johnson and his merry band of no dealers stabbed may in the back and were responsible for blocking brexit many moons ago. 
 

 

 More untruths.

 

One poster on TVF doesn't represent the views of England.

 

Scotland enjoys its own parliament, with substantial power, and also a large representation at Westminster. Scottish politicians vote on issues that only affect England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Only Scottish politicians vote on devolved issues in Scotland.

 

No one is ignoring anyone's views. But the country in the UK; not one small region.

1 hour ago, Bell1234 said:

We don't care about Scotland and Boris will block your referendum like you blocked the Brexit the last 2 years.

100% correct on both parts. To be honest, I could not have wished the past few years to have played out any better. The Brexit result, Corbyn, Johnson - each a new step deeper into Dante's hell. More and more Scots are waking up to the damage that being part of the UK is doing to us, but some are still stubbornly stuck in their unionist mentality. Another couple of years of seeing just how mendacious and incompetent the Westminster gov is will hopefully be enough to tilt the numbers in our favour - and we can finally slip the burden of being in the UK.

10 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 More untruths.

 

One poster on TVF doesn't represent the views of England.

 

Scotland enjoys its own parliament, with substantial power, and also a large representation at Westminster. Scottish politicians vote on issues that only affect England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Only Scottish politicians vote on devolved issues in Scotland.

 

No one is ignoring anyone's views. But the country in the UK; not one small region.

Should there not have been a colon rather than a full stop after you typed 'untruths'?

 

English votes for English laws

English votes for English laws (EVEL) is a set of procedures of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom whereby legislation which affects only England requires the support of a majority of MPs representing English constituencies.

30 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

100% correct on both parts. To be honest, I could not have wished the past few years to have played out any better. The Brexit result, Corbyn, Johnson - each a new step deeper into Dante's hell. More and more Scots are waking up to the damage that being part of the UK is doing to us, but some are still stubbornly stuck in their unionist mentality. Another couple of years of seeing just how mendacious and incompetent the Westminster gov is will hopefully be enough to tilt the numbers in our favour - and we can finally slip the burden of being in the UK.

..........and pay yourselves for the 60% of your extravagant budget which is subsidised by the UK taxpayer?

This along with Soubry and Grieve is Christmas come early. It is s shame she (Swinson) didn't stay as an MP as she is as awful as you can get along with Corbyn. No wonder the cons won.

Probably the worst party leader ever in the House of Commons. The irony is that her intransigence with dealing with the other Remain parties is what caused the election, and then she loses her seat.

The LibDems might as well just give up and disband the party if Jo Swinson is the best leader they can come up with.

15 minutes ago, roquefort said:

..........and pay yourselves for the 60% of your extravagant budget which is subsidised by the UK taxpayer?

Scots are UK taxpayers - we already pay in more than almost any other region of the UK.

4 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Probably the worst party leader ever in the House of Commons. The irony is that her intransigence with dealing with the other Remain parties is what caused the election, and then she loses her seat.

The LibDems might as well just give up and disband the party if Jo Swinson is the best leader they can come up with.

It is truly amazing to think that only a few weeks ago she was being seriously heralded by some as the next PM. 

22 minutes ago, Laughing Gravy said:

This along with Soubry and Grieve is Christmas come early. It is s shame she (Swinson) didn't stay as an MP as she is as awful as you can get along with Corbyn. No wonder the cons won.

Grieve lost his seat? I really  must buy some beers on the way home this evening! 

17 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Probably the worst party leader ever in the House of Commons. The irony is that her intransigence with dealing with the other Remain parties is what caused the election, and then she loses her seat.

The LibDems might as well just give up and disband the party if Jo Swinson is the best leader they can come up with.

Probably.....but I think Ed Milliband would give her a run for her money.

3 hours ago, Bell1234 said:

We don't care about Scotland and Boris will block your referendum like you blocked the Brexit the last 2 years.

I think you’ll find it was johnson who blocked brexit, after he and his fellow no dealers betrayed their party and stabbed may in the back. 

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No it doesn't. 

 

First, the parties, other than those favoring "nationalism" are British parties and have been since their inceptions.

 

The vote shows that in Scotland, where the Conservatives have been weakly supported for decades, Labour have really lost it. Corbyn is even less popular then Michael Foote. The SNP leader, albeit she lost by a smidgeon, was equally unpopular and cost the LibDems dear with her poor performances and lack of inspiring policies. 

 

Many Scots won't vote Conservative and therefore the only viable option was SNP. 

 

That doesn't mean all those people are clamoring for independence despite their ambitious egotistical first minister "demanding" another once in a generation referendum.

 

I disagree with you on all points. 
Go for it Nicola. 

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 More untruths.

 

One poster on TVF doesn't represent the views of England.

 

Scotland enjoys its own parliament, with substantial power, and also a large representation at Westminster. Scottish politicians vote on issues that only affect England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Only Scottish politicians vote on devolved issues in Scotland.

 

No one is ignoring anyone's views. But the country in the UK; not one small region.

Not untruths, please do not call me a liar. 

Good riddance to her!!!