The real winner

Labour trounced the opposition in the Cowdenbeath by election last night, with an 11.25 per cent swing from the SNP.

The turnout meant 66 per cent couldn’t even get off their backsides to vote, nor even vote by post.

Look beneath Cowdenbeath – yes the turnout was low, no one’s interested in by-elections really, not when the big vote is on its way, the only vote where you can’t use the excuse “nothing changes”. It can and it will.

So what’s in it for Yes?

The only seat in Fife the SNP did not win in the landslide of 2011 was Cowdenbeath. However it was a stunning result for the Nationalists whose share of the vote was more than the three right-wing pro-unionist parties combined (Tory/ Lib-Dem and UKIP), and this after nearly seven years in power. The vote share was the same as in 2007.

But the SNP also carried out a poll while out canvassing – they never miss a trick – and asked over 11,000 voters how they intended to vote in the referendum.

Yes 41%
No 36%
Undecided 23%

If we tell you that we don’t want to simply win, but want a 70-80% landslide on the 18th of September I hope you believe us. Because it is not impossible.

Can 2014 continue to get better? Absolutely.

Douglas Young
Yes Shetland