Gordon Brown was duly returned as the MP for Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath, but his future as Prime Minister looks to be in serious doubt.
Defending a majority of over 18,000, there was never any danger of an upset in the traditional Labour seat and Mr Brown in fact increased his lead to over 24,000.
Mr Brown thanked the people of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, and his wife Sarah.
“At this moment I would like to speak directly to the people of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath,” he said.
“I would like to thank my wife Sarah for her love and for her support, and for her legendary campaigning skills.
“Above all I would like to to thank the people of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath for returning me once more as member of parliament.
“The outcome of this country’s vote is not yet known.
“And my service to the country coming out of this election is to play my part in Britain having a strong and stable and principled government able to move Britain into a sustained economic recovery.”
“Let me say to the people of this constituency there is no greater privilege than to serve in parliament for the people I have grown up with men and women I have gone to school with, and whose children have also grown up here.
“A few yards from here is the home in which I grew up as I was young. Immediately across the road is the church where my father preached.
“Decades ago I learnt here in Kirkcaldy something that has never left me.
“I learnt what true friendship is.”
It was always going to be a case of who came second and the honours went to the SNP’s Douglas Chapman, who was comfortably ahead of John Mainland (Lib Dem), who just edged out Tory Lindsay Paterson.
Mr Brown had left it late before arriving at the count centre, arriving at 12.20am with wife Sarah.
He had a quick word with supporters there was as kiss on the cheek for local Labour MSP Marilyn Livingstone before heading for a private area to await the result, which came at 1.35am.