The result of the elections and referendum on Thursday could have significant and long term effects on the political status quo in the United Kingdom. The Scottish Nationalist Party has won a majority in the Scottish Parliament, the nation has voted against the first referendum in a decade and probably our first and last opportunity to change the system by which MP's are elected to Westminster, and the national stability of the Liberal Democrat support base has been severely shaken.

Scottish special

The political system of the United Kingdom was changed hugely during the process of devolution. There are various debates about the benefits and disadvantages of the process but the system will be changed and tested by the fact that the SNP now hold a majority in the the Scottish Parliament. With the clue in the name, the SNP advocate greater autonomy and independence for Scotland although they accept that full independence could only be achieved by a referendum to show absolute support. It looks likely that this referendum will take place now the SNP have a majority. However, current polls suggest that it is unlikely Scottish voters will support a full break away form the UK. This was not the pledge that the SNP was voted to a majority for. In these difficult times, voters are most acutely aware of the scarcity of funding and financial backing and the Scottish public realise that the SNP will be the strongest, most representative and most accountable to their hopes of sustaining funding for Scotland. This is why they were elected to a majority, to fight tooth and nail for every pound of Scottish funding.

There is great controversy within the relationship between Westminster, Scotland and England. Thanks to devolution, the Scottish Parliament does have numerous powers to legislate in many of the key policy areas including education. However, Scottish voters also vote for representatives in Westminster which dictates policy all around the UK. Thus, controversially, Scottish voters have almost a double vote in electing a Parliament specific to Scotland but also to vote for decisions affecting England. Simultaneously, Scotland is devolved large sums of fiscal responsibility by Westminster in an unproportional exchange.  The continuing issue of tuition fees for university demonstrates this dramatically. While tuition fees in England continue to rise in England, most ominously to 9,000 pounds next year, Scottish students can attend Scottish universities for free. This system is largely funded by the UK taxpayer as the funding is directed from Westminster. Therefore, English and Welsh taxpayers subsidise Scottish tuition. Although, this seems a shocking proposition it is far more complex and indirect than the extremely simplified presentation I make here. But the point stands that there is a basic political and economic inequality in the devolved relationship. An imbalance that is far more likely to be exposed and either exploited by a nationalist party, elected for exactly that purpose.

Furthermore, the SNP leader and now First Minister for Scotland, Alex Salmond, is the loudest advocate of Scottish interests and he appears almost to savor the conflict it creates within the system. Just a year ago, when he demanded his party and the other nationalist parties such as Plaid Cymru, be allowed to participate in the general election television debates, you could almost laugh at the man for his bleating when his party received only 1.7% of the vote. Now, despite only commanding a majority of four seats, he is already asking Westminster for more sweeping powers over taxation. Backed by his 'renewed and strengthened mandate' he hopes to rally the Scottish public to his nationalist cause and maybe even to independence in a couple of years time.

However, if the change between last year and today shows anything, it is that political fortune can disappear from under your feet just as quickly as it lifted you up. David Cameron will not be the warmest sympathizer to Scottish national interests and the SNP can barely count on the support of the opposition Labour party, disgruntled and resentful itself of losing ground in its heartland. As extended as their hopes for Scotland may be, it seems rather difficult to imagine them retaining their new found position when the Labour Party eventually finds resurgence and the tenser times of economic recession soften and leave the nationalist voice all that bit less resounding.