What’s the mood in Scotland after the SNP’s election landslide?

The SNP won with unprecedented swings in every seat they contested. The collapse of the Labour vote came as no surprise to anyone except, perhaps, Jim Murphy who must now, surely, do the honourable thing (assuming he can get someone to tell him what that is). The mood in Scotland is joy, tempered with sadness about the UK situation. Many people who live in the North-East, North-West and West of England must feel disenfranchised, and I feel sorry for them.

Labours wipe out was coming for a long time, it was the referendum that finished them off. However, when chatting about this at work the consensus was that everyone expected Labour to do badly but not to be wiped out. We all thought some people would naturally switch back to labour. Its a shock for us up here as well. I almost feel sorry for them.

Also the major Westminster parties damned themselves to oblivion with their negative No referendum campaign and I say that as a No voter. Labour has been treating Scotland as a default vote and rested on its laurels. The SNP has gained traction because it offered a positive vision of the future. So it is pretty depressing to see such a negative Westmister campaign work in England. To console some of my Yes voting friends at the time I said at least the positive experience here might translate to change in Westminster especially if there was a hung parliament. No chance of that now.

The consensus was that independence in the near future is probably inevitable. The Tories are so despised up here that I just don't see how we can square the circle between Scotland's political leanings and the outcome down south. It does feel as if the countries are drifting apart. Someone at work said it is like a broken marriage, we are staying together for the kids.

There are two things that may sway it:

Cameron building bridges

If Cameron wants to be a true Prime Minister he will do well to mend bridges quickly. People up here wont forget the way he demonised the SNP and by association Scottish people. I am not a SNP supporter but his conduct after the referendum and during this election was disgraceful and I say this as a Englishman. Everyone I know who voted yes did it because they were looking to run things themselves as they had had enough of Westminster which they considered broken, there was no anti-English resentment at all. Unfortunately Cameron's tactics worked, many of my English relatives were taking in by the scaremongering, I had to tell them i have lived here for 20 years and have received nothing but warmth from Scottish people, they are not coming over Hadrians Wall to savage the English.

Westminster Reform.

We have a parliament up here that works, people by and large like it. So it shines a light on Westminster that is very unflattering hence the wrath against all the Westminster parties. So electoral reform in Westminster and federalisation of the UK may also save the union especially if it ends the 2 party system and allows smaller parties in (and that unfortunately includes UKIP). Most Scottish people I speak to are surprised northern England or Wales isn't as restless as they are.

We are in unknown territory, the Tories are as despised as ever and yet we are in the strange position of have a strong representation for Scotland. No one knows how this is going to end.

Fantastic win, shame we will still be dictated to by the tories but now we have a huge voice in the opposition, lets hope we use it sensibly to win more powers for Scotland and a better life for us all

Well here we have it, all the Tory scaremongering and Labour's stupid insistence on playing into to Cameron's hands regarding a Labour/SNP anti-tory alliance means he, David Cameron, will probably have the dubious distinction of being the last prime minister of a United Kingdom.

I'm glad Scotland has finally said enough is enough and voted out the liars and charlatans in Labour and the Lib Dems, a second referendum is now an almost nailed on certainty.

Among many who are not nationalists but are socialists – sickened by such a poor Labour campaign whilst admiring the energy and strategy of the SNP. Cover girl Nicola did her party proud and the complacency and arrogance of standing Labour MPs deserved the trouncing. However on Friday in a gathering of a significant number of thoughtful socialist minded people, we worried that freshness and inexperience of the newly elected will get beaten to pulp by the established Tories . And the arrogance of Salmond is going to make us all groan, as he bangs on that same old drum

Scotland has united according to FPTP and now has a strong voice but we are yet again under a government that our morals cannot abide. It's saddening to see the most vulnerable have their health and their future voted away by those who already have plenty.