In their eve-of-poll programme, Newsnight Scotland tonight again had representatives from Labour, the SNP, the Tories and the Liberals. Their lengthy roundup of the campaign showed campaigners from those four parties, plus a moment where The Curran Sisters met. Dr Eileen Duke, our candidate (left), was simply airbrushed out.You'd be forgiven for thinking that those four were indeed Glasgow's dominant parties, but you'd be wrong. Here are the numbers.
Westminster constituencies in Glasgow: 7, all Labour.
Holyrood constituencies in Glasgow: 9 Labour, 1 SNP
Holyrood regional seats in Glasgow: 4 SNP, 1 Liberal, 1 Tory, 1 Green
Glasgow City Councillors: 45 Labour, 22 SNP, 5 Liberal, 5 Green, 1 Tory
No-one can deny that Labour remain the dominant party by a massive margin in Glasgow politics. Similarly, the SNP are clearly the second-placed party in Glasgow. Third place is a tie between ourselves and the Liberals, with the Tories the clear fifth party. The Council is the tie-breaker, obviously.
Even though SSP and Solidarity, unsurprisingly, haven't a single elected representative between them at any level anywhere in Glasgow or elsewhere, all too often we appear in the same category as them.
Viewers continue to get the misleading impression that we don't count in the city, despite these numbers. Does that sound fair to you?
I have to say I do feel for the Greens during the coverage they have indeed appeared to suffer from the marginalisation at the second teir, behind the marginalistaion that ourselves and the Tories suffered. Which was largely unjustified considered the result at the last GE in this seat.
The Scottish media in particular should be more aware that the shade of Scottish Politics is multi-coloured across a wider spectrum that they want to paint it.
Good point, well made.