– Sweden had been largely ruled by Social Democrats for decades. After one term of the Modernitska Party, the country decided it deserved an historic second term. The SNP may enjoy that same opportunity.

– The Social Democrats are generally popular but a singularly unpopular leader at the helm was their ultimate undoing at the election. Iain Gray is likeable but his lack of chutzpah may similarly count against him come election day.

– Social Democrats promised to outspend the Modernitska Party, regardless of how much it cost the country. The public never fully bought it. Labour is unrealistically opposing ‘SNP cuts’ at every turn while continuing to propose GARL and a substantial building of new prisons.

– The Social Democrats struggled to decide how to tackle immigration, torn between being pro-immigration on principle or taking a stronger stance to win cheap votes. Labour, no thanks to Phil Woolas, are going through the same turmoil.

– The ruling Modernitska party in Sweden were able to outflank the Social Democrats on both the left and the right. The SNP enjoys that same flexibility across various policy issues.

– The Social Democrats are headed up by a tight clique of former Ministers. Labour is suffering from a lack of fresh blood coming through.

– The Social Democrats were far ahead in the polls for months prior to the election date with the ruling Modernitska party only pulling ahead weeks before the election date. Many predict the same will happen in Scotland.

I, perhaps optimistically, like to think that Scots think along the same latitudinal lines as their similarly-minded Social Democratic Scandinavian friends. Could next year’s Scottish election already be foretold by this year’s Swedish election?

incidentally, the biggest gainers in that Swedish election were…… the Green party.