SNP declare ‘wind of change’ in Scotland
SNP leader Alex Salmond declared a “wind of change” is blowing across Scotland, but with many results still pending, the nationalist have yet not achieved the impressive gains many predicted.
Mr Salmond himself achieved a historic victory, taking the constituency seat of Gordon on a 20 per cent swing from third place.
The SNP have gained 20 Holyrood seats, including gains from Labour in Dundee west, central Fife, Stirling and Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Cunnighame. Significantly, they also achieved their first constituency seat in Glasgow, where deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon also leaped from third place.
129 of 129 seats declared
| Party | Constituency | Regional | Change (net) | Total |
| SNP | 21 | 26 | 20 | 47 |
| Labour | 37 | 9 | -4 | 46 |
| Cons | 4 | 13 | -1 | 17 |
| LibDems | 11 | 5 | -1 | 16 |
| Others | 0 | 3 | -14 | 3 |
Source:BBC
Hearing of his own success early in the evening, Mr Salmond declared “there is a wind of change blowing through Scottish politics”.
It is “entirely possible” Labour will receive their worst election results for decades, he claimed.
If he is appointed first minister, Mr Salmond may find himself negotiating a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.
However, with scores of spoiled ballot papers and reports of “chaos” across counting stations, it remains unclear how successful the SNP have been.
Many electors seemingly misunderstood the complicated ballot papers, which required voters to select three candidates for three polls. The Electoral Commission has announced a review of the system in response to the unprecedented number of spoilt papers.
Up to 100,000 votes could have been discounted. In Airdrie and Shotts the number of spoiled ballot papers was 90 per cent higher than the majority secured by Labour’s Karen Whitefield. However, it is not thought at present any parties will be demanding a recount.
Labour have lost seven constituency seats so far, although their leader John McConnell was re-elected to Motherwell and Wishaw with a majority of 6,000 over the SNP.
Despite a ten-point poll lead heading into the election, the SNP failed to take key targets including east Kilbridge, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth, Galloway and Upper Nithsdale.
In the regional seats, the Solidarity Candidate Tommy Sheridan has not been elected to the region seat in Glasgow. The SNP have also beaten the sitting candidates from the Scottish Senior Citizens’ Unity Party and Scottish Socialists in central Scotland.
The Conservatives took Roxburgh and Berwickshire, but leader David Cameron has failed to prove the party can win power north of the border.
The Liberal Democrats won Dunfermline west but lost seats overall. Leader Nicol Stephen saw his majority in Aberdeen south cut from 8,000 to 2,732.
Amid delays and spoiled ballot papers, the full results are not expected until this evening.
