Scottish National Party sweeps the Labour Party aside in Glasgow East by-election.

The SNP party has triggered an earthquake for the Labour Party with it's epicentre being in Glasgow East. The SNP candidate, John Murray, polled 11,277 votes in the Glasgow East by-election where the swing from Labour to the SNP was 22.54%.

The result was delayed due to a recount, but there was no stopping John Mason, who overturned a Labour majority of 13,507 winning by 365 votes.

This was one of the safest Labour seats in Scotland and the UK. If the swing to SNP was replicated in the General Election, the Labour Party would be left with only one seat in Scotland, and indeed Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, would lose his own seat..

Alex Salmond, SNP Leader, and First Minister said this result was clearly a victory for the Scottish Government over Westminster.

The shockwaves are already being felt at 3am in 10 Downing Street.

Despite the best efforts of Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, a YouGov survey for the Daily Telegraph reveals that a majority of voters favour the status quo delivering a blow to those who want to break up the Union.

The "No" vote has a clear 12 point lead over the "Yes" vote, with 48 per against independence, 36 per cent in favour and 14 per cent unsure. Some previous polls have shown a much narrower margin between the two camps.

In a previous YouGov poll, when a third option of increased powers for a devolved parliament was included, only 19 per cent backed independence.

Scotland is a nation. It has a devolved parliament, an independent legal system, a distinct culture, and a record of scientific innovation worthy of many a larger nation. Independence from the United Kingdom has been on the agenda since the Treaty of Union was signed in 1707, with a majority of Scots favoring to remain within the UK. But a poll published this week, suggests First Minister Alex Salmond may be gradually winning the argument for independence and that Scotland is on the road to freedom.

After seeing over 400 names added to the on-line petition, Deputy Joe McHugh says that he is extremely happy with the level of interest in bringing a rail link to Donegal.
The petition, which is to be presented to the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, is calling for money to be allocated for a feasibility study for the major project, which involves linking Derry, Letterkenny and Sligo.
McHugh, who has always been an advocate of rail, says that he is heartened by the comments left by those who have signed the petition.

Some of the reasons given for wanting to re-introduce a railway system to Donegal were to cut down on road deaths, to cut down on traffic congestion and to be kinder to the environment. The proposed railway line would connect Derry, Letterkenny and Sligo.

Only 37 per cent of English people describe themselves as "British" when asked their nationality by a foreigner, according to an opinion poll released today.

It comes as Tory leader David Cameron vowed to not allow the UK to dissolve into separate countries if he is elected Prime Minister.

Alex Salmond has predicted that Scotland will win independence from the UK within the next decade, gaining the freedom to set its own taxes and laying claim to most of the oil reserves in the North Sea.

The nationalist leader's surprise assertion yesterday overshadowed a last-minute crisis over his minority government's first budget, which is due to be unveiled today, as the SNP tried to brush off bruising opposition attacks on his administration's failure to deliver fully on pre-election promises.