@simon_brooke I can't see any reason why SNP would want a coalition now. They can get any bill or budget through with the support of any one other party, so it should be straightforward for them to continue to govern as a minority government.

If they can't come up with a budget that one of SGP, LD or Lab can support, then that would be a surprise.

@drgeraint this is true. But they won't get an #IndyRef2 that way. The reason I think the SNP *should* bring #ScottishLabour into government is that by throwing a few plums to them in terms of ministerial jobs they could get serious pressure applied to #Westminster to get the referendum agreed.

Mind you, I suspect #Swinney doesn't really want another indyref anyway, and that that is what was behind the stupid 'only SNP votes count' nonsense.

#ScotPol

@drgeraint and how is that going to help? The #SNP won just NINE seats under #Swinney's leadership at the last #Westminster election; it will very likely lose two of those this summer in by-elections; and unless he plays an absolute blinder he'll lose a couple more at the 2029 election, to #ReformUKLtd.

How's he going to achieve anything with five MPs? They're lost in the noise.

#ScotPol

@simon_brooke I'd expect fewer Scottish Labour MPs next time, and it remains to be seen who will lead the SNP into that next election.

If Farage still looks like a contender for PM at the next UK General Election, then I could well imagine the SNP wanting to use that election as a battle for indyref.

I have never expected that Swinney would be the person to get a new referendum. He was brought back to steady the SNP ship after their troubles; not to drive the independence campaign forward.

@drgeraint we could all imagine the #SNP WANTING that, but wanting isn't the same as winning, and a triumphant #ReformUKLtd government wouldn't pay a blind bit of notice anyway.

This is a 'kicking the can down the road towards the oncoming tanks' strategy.

#ScotPol