Welcome to the Pressure Dome

It this morning Scotsman they point out that. “IT WAS, by common consent, a lacklustre campaign dogged by indecision and division. Faced with a slick, professional, fleet-footed Nationalist team, Labour's 2007 Holyrood effort often appeared leaden and flat-footed. The Scottish National Party had finally managed to turn the tables on its arch enemy, out "New Labour-ing" New Labour.” Even so the Labour vote went up in the regional list votes from 561,000 to 595,000 – not bad for a party that is doing so badly in the opinion polls. Blair and Brown would give their political souls for performance like that if they called a snap General election this week.
While it is true what the Scotsman have said it’s also slightly unfair and more than slightly daft. Given that Labour are more unpopular in the polls than they’ve ever been, right across the UK, is it surprising? Added to which it’s not as though the election campaign is all that a party in power is measured on. It is a fact of political life that the incumbent is judged more on their period in power. The advantage of opposition has always been that you are unencumbered by your failures because you are largely free from the burden of delivery. This is what’s dogged the LibDems, they are not really the opposition because they’ve been identified as part of the problem and not the solution.
For the SNP, and two jobs Salmond, life in the in the intense white light of the 24 hour spotlight that is trained on power is just beginning. Commentators were quick to talk of his statesman like demeanor, both yesterday and of late. Once again that’s the easy bit.
Now we can all just it back, relax and enjoy the flight as we watch the SNP deal with the realities of power. Getting there is hard enough and all credit to them for that. Staying there and performing 24/7 is a whole lot different. Unlike opposition there’s nowhere to hide. And while Alex Salmond and the rest of the SNP will be relishing the opportunity they’ll do well to remember that two thirds of the country didn’t vote for them and will be all too quick to remind them.