Poll shows Labour on course to win next May – but only with Scottish MPs

The “poll of polls”, carried out on behalf of The Independent, has suggested that Labour would win next year’s election with a 32 majority.

The poll has re-ignited a discussion about what would happen with regards to the general election if the people of Scotland opt for independence next Thursday. The SNP are calling for the election to be postponed so that it wouldn’t get in the way of negotiations leading up to March 2016 – when Scotland would officially become independent.

However, MPs from across all parties have said it would be unlikely that the election would be pushed back. Instead, some Tory MPs – including former cabinet member John Redwood – have called for banning people in Scotland from voting in the election if they go independent.

The reason for this discussion is that the poll forecasts that if Scotland goes independent, come March 2016, Labour would be three-seats short of a majority and the country would be left with a hung Parliament.

Although these issues will need to be discussed if Scotland goes independent, the focus at the moment should be on the Scottish referendum – what people in Scotland want and why, not how this would effect the election next year.