What would make the list for Scotland’s 12 biggest political surprises of the decade?

James Mitchell, Professor of Politics at University of Strathclyde, outlines his thoughts on the general election in 2010 and how ScotlandVotes helps to paint a picture of what might happen.

Professor James Mitchell has been Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde since 2000, having previously been Professor of Politics at the University of Sheffield. His main research interests are in territorial politics, looking in particular at the politics of nationalism and regionalism, the territorial impact of public policy and multi-level government and devolution. He has published extensively on Scottish Politics and devolution, including most recently Governing Scotland: The Invention of Administrative Devolution (MacMillan 2003) and Devolution in the United Kingdom (Manchester University Press, forthcoming 2009).

He has made numerous media contributions including commentating on the 1997 general election for BBC Radio Scotland and the 1997 Scottish devolution referendum for Radio Scotland/Four. He has also commentated on the 1999 Scottish Parliament elections, writing columns for Scotland on Sunday, Sunday Times, The Times and the Herald on these elections. He has an M.A. from the University of Aberdeen in Political Studies and a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford (Nuffield College).