Army of SNP MPs arrive in Westminster to make 'Scotland's voice heard'

Martin Geissler

Former ITV News Correspondent

Nicola Sturgeon (front left) stands with the SNP's 56 new members of parliament. Credit: PA Wire

Today is hugely significant for the SNP; it's a whole new dawn for them.

An army of new MPs have flown down from Scotland this morning and Nicola Sturgeon has lined those troops up in front of Westminster for a photo call - a striking image seeing as the SNP are now the third biggest party in the House of Commons.

These are politicians who ultimately want to remove themselves and their country from Westminster's control.

Most are new not just to Parliament but also to politics.

There's a senior lawyer, a shop assistant, a TV newsreader and then of course a student - 20-year-old Mhairi Black who will continue to study politics while she was practicing it.

The MPs seen before their flight to London. Credit: PA Wire
SNP MPs wave as they prepare to leave for London. Credit: PA Wire

The one mantra they keep on chanting is a desire to make "Scotland's voice heard" - they will certainly do that.

They also say they want to put an end to austerity, more powers for Scotland than has already been promised and they want those powers delivered faster than have been promised.

This will not be as easy to achieve because they are up against a Tory government with an overall majority.

It will also be interesting to see how they go about this.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she favours conversation not confrontation but her predecessor Alex Salmond has already said the SNP will shake Westminster to its very foundations.

Keeping all those different voices in line will be the key task for the SNP.