Fog of uncertainty

May 6th, 2010

I write this at 2am on Friday morning at the election count at the Waterfront venue in Greenock .   

David Cairns has just be re-elected as MP for Inverclyde in a very well deserved victory. 

It’s been a long day, excitement is giving way to tiredness, flashbacks to the Scottish Parliament elections of 2007 with reports of chaos at polling stations, being reported on the television screen.   

Results, some very close but significant individual results and at the same time confirming that there are no clear party winners nationally.  

Talk of hung parliaments, coalition governments, minority government indeed multi party governments dominating the political discussion.  

The heat of the election has been replaced by the fog of uncertainty.  

Questions are being asked about whether the political parties will be able to work together to pay off the national debt, protect our jobs and public services or will the party games be played bringing about yet another general election.  

Too many questions, no clear answers and I confidently predict that on Monday when you read this column the position will not be much clearer. 

The people have spoken turning out in great numbers but producing no winners. 

Whatever the end result of the election, voter engagement can only be a good thing for democracy.