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The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) landslide victory in the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election was exceptional under an electoral system designed to prevent majority governments.  It was one of the most important events in Scottish politics in recent years. This win was on the back of the Nationalist’s rule as a minority government since 2007. In the most recent elections the SNP gained seats in Glasgow, Fife and Renfrewshire, all long-considered Labour strongholds. The question of why this happened is important in understanding the impact on classroom sizes discussed in this article.