Scottish voters went to the polls on Thursday in regional government elections that could lead to the victory of a political party that promises to hold a referendum on independence.

The Scottish National Party was expected to sweep the Thursday elections. But early results appeared to indicate that Labour might not suffer the heavy losses that had been predicted, the BBC reported.

Scottish National Party Leader Alex Salmond pauses after casting his vote at the polling station in Strichen, Scotland, on Thursday.
(David Cheskin/PA/Associated Press)

With 21 of 129 parliamentary seats called early Friday, Labour had lost three seats and the Scottish National Party had gained four.

The Scottish National Party, which calls itself a "democratic left-of-centre" party, has been called the Scottish equivalent of the Parti Québécois.

It has vowed to bring in legislation on secession within 100 days of forming a government and to hold a referendum on independence in three years.

During the election campaign, the party appealed to nationalist sentiments by running campaign videos that feature actor Sean Connery, 76, the former James Bond film star known as one of the most famous living Scotsmen.

"All of my life experience tells me that an independent Scotland will be successful," Connery says in a campaign video. "There will never be a better opportunity than now."

The vote in Scotland is part of a larger vote across the United Kingdom on Thursday in which voters will decide who will run their councils and devolved governments.

Voters in England are casting ballots for council representatives, while voters in Wales are electing representatives for the 60-seat Welsh Assembly.

Voters in Scotland, meanwhile, are casting ballots for representatives on local councils and for the 129-seat Scottish Parliament, according to BBC News.

Pundits say the elections are an important measure of support for the three principal national parties in the United Kingdom: the governing Labour party, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has gone to Scotland himself to fend off a victory by the Scottish National Party.

Warns of independent country

Speaking in Glasgow in April, he warned of the consequences of an independent Scotland, saying the people there would have to live with the consequences of a Scottish National Party victory for years to come.

"May 3 is not a byelection. It is not about protest. It is about choice, a decision, a vote with consequence. That much is clear," he said.

"The party that runs Scotland after May 3 will impact on living standards, economic strength and jobs. In all sorts of ways, seen and unforeseen, the election matters."

The Scottish National Party, for its part, says on its website that independence can only bring about positive changes.

"Independence means the Scottish Parliament having full control over Scottish affairs, and the right to decide when to share power with others," it says.

"Independence would give Scotland the same rights and the same responsibilities as other nations. It would give us a voice on the world stage … independence would also bring greater freedom for individuals, families and communities within a society built on common interests."

Pundits say the outcome of the election will, if nothing else, send a message of discontent to Blair. Voters are said to be unhappy with British involvement in the Iraq war and Scotland's struggling economy.