The SNP record an incredible victory in the Scottish Election, claiming an outright majority at Holyrood. A series of dramatic victories in Fife helps the Nationalists to the magical 65-seat mark, with list seats still to be decided.
15.11 There are still some list seats to be decided, but that’s it from us online for now. Thanks for joining us. The Courier has had reporters and photographers at counts across Tayside and Fife and they’ll be bringing you the full picture and comprehensive reaction from your constituency and beyond in Saturday’s paper.
14.55 The details from those final two constituency declarations. In Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Keith Brown takes victory over Labour’s Richard Simpson. The majority there is 3609, with a 5.2% swing from Labour to the Nationalists. But it’s the result in Kirkcaldy that will claim so much attention. David Torrance scrapes a small but oh so significant margin of 182 votes over Labour’s Marilyn Livingstone to seal his party’s crucial 65th seat. A truly extraordinary result in historic Labour territory.
14.32 Clackmannanshire and Dunblane also goes to the SNP’s Keith Brown. By our reckoning that’s it the SNP have their 65 seats and an overall majority. And it might get even better for them, with some list seats still to be decided.
14.17 Kirkcaldy goes to the SNP! This is Gordon Brown’s backyard. “One of the safest seats in Scotland, it would be a major shock if anyone but Labour won in Kirkcaldy.” That’s what we said ahead of voting day. Details soon.
14.14 The state of play: there are only two constituencies still to declare Kirkcaldy, and Clackmannanshire and Dunblane. And the SNP now have 63 seats only two seats short of an outright majority at Holyrood.
14.02 And more from Dunfermline. It’s another horror story for the Liberal Democrats, as they fall to third after winning the equivalent seat in 2007. A blow also for Labour, for whom this was a big target. The SNP’s Bill Walker wins with a majority of 630 over Labour’s Alex Rowley, with the Lib Dems’ Jim Tolson third. There’s a swing of over 13% from Lib Dem to SNP.
13.56 The details from Mid Fife and Scotland. Tricia Marwick ups her majority to 4188 over nearest challenger Claire Baker, of Labour. Point of note: Jim Parker of the All Scotland Pensioners Party beats the Liberal Democrats’ Callum Leslie to claim fourth behind Conservative Allan Smith.
13.50 A Labour win! We haven’t had one of these for a while. Stalwart Helen Eadie secures a notional hold with a majority of 1247 over the Nationalists’ Ian Chisholm in Cowdenbeath.
13.42 Mid Fife and Glenrothes and Dunfermline both go to the SNP. More details soon.
13.33 That “The SNP can’t find as much success in Fife, can they?” thing we said? Forget it. They’ve just taken Fife North East from the Liberal Democrats. In a notional Lib Dem-to-SNP swing of over 15%, the Nationalists’ Rod Campbell beats Iain Smith. The SNP came third here in the equivalent battle in 2007. File this under ‘shock’.
10.51 Just a quick update: it’s all gone a bit quiet on the home front as we wait for news from the delayed Fife counts. We have people there and will bring you news when we get it. ETA early afternoon. Those results should also bring some small comfort to those of you fed up hearing of SNP wins. The SNP can’t find as much success in Fife, can they? Can they? Can they…?
6.04 The BBC’s overnight election team have just signed off and handed over to Jackie Bird and if it’s good enough for Sally Magnusson and crew, it’s good enough for us. So, having brought you as many of the local results as we can no word yet from Fife for obvious reasons we bid you good night. We’ll be back later this morning to help complete the picture. Hope you can join us. Zzzzzzzzz.
5.55 The Angus-to-Perthshire ping-pong continues. We jump across for confirmation of Roseanna Cunningham’s victory for the SNP in Perthshire South & Kinross-shire. Ms Cunningham beats Conservative Elizabeth Smith with 51% of the vote and a majority of 7166. Once again, the Lib Dems lose a place to Labour, dropping to fourth.
5.49 Back to Angus now Angus North & Mearns, to be precise, and it’s more good news for the SNP. Nigel Don, with almost 55% of the vote, beats nearest challenger Alex Johnstone, of the Conservatives, with a majority of 7286. Liberal Democrats slip to fourth there, after coming third in 2007. More on that result here.
5.43 Over to Perthshire North, and it’s another overwhelming SNP win. John Swinney takes a stunning 61% of the vote for a 10,353 majority over Tory Murdo Fraser.
5.39 After a brief break we have some more local results for you, starting in Angus South. Surprise, surprise, it’s another win for the SNP but again the real story is the margin of victory. Graeme Dey records a 10,583 majority over nearest challenger Hugh Campbell Adamson of the Conservatives. Mr Dey, who was previously the sports editor of The Courier, took 58% of the vote. So it’s safe to assume he won’t be coming back to the happy world of journalism. More on that result here.
4.12 Another big win in Dundee for the SNP as Joe FitzPatrick records a notional hold in Dundee West. He takes 57% of the vote for a 6405 majority over Labour’s Richard McCready. More on that result here.
3.46 Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray scrapes victory by 151 votes in East Lothian. But another Labour big hitter falls. Frank McAveetyloses Glasgow Shettleston to the SNP’s John Mason.
3.24 A local result! Victory for the SNP’s Shona Robison in Dundee East. The win (a notional hold) is no surprise but the scale of the victory is. She wins with a majority of 10,679 over Labour’s Mohammed Asif with an incredible 64% of the vote. More on that result here.
3.04 Some better news for Labour. They win Uddingston & Bellshill (a notional hold) and take Eastwood in a notional gain from the Conservatives.
2.54 Perthshire North candidate John Swinney says the results so far have been “truly awesome”. With street language like that, he’s surely been spending too much time on Twitter.
2.51 We’ve just sent our Angus edition to the press. The main photo features a big thumbs-up from the SNP team. Angus South candidate Graeme Dey formerly of this parish (he used to be our sports editor) looks to be heading to Holyrood with one of the biggest majorities in the country.
2.31 Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray says “early results have been disappointing.” He says part of the story is a “huge collapse in the Liberal Democrat vote, and most of that is benefiting the SNP.”
2.19 SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon says the results so far are “very, very encouraging indeed.”
2.14 SNP gain Clydesdale. We’re looking forward to some results from closer to home, but the rest of the country is providing some incredible stories tonight.
1.46 Asked by BBC Radio what he’s going to do now, Andy Kerr replies: “I’m going to cut the grass.” So, a gain for the Greens?
1.43 With three results in, our headline writers are already toying with “landslide”. It is, indeed, an astonishing night so far for the Nationalists.
1.35 SNP take Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse. A second major scalp for the SNP as Christina McKelvie takes seat from another former Labour minister, Tom McCabe.
1.21 Fabiani’s victory is confirmed. Andy Kerr takes to the mic to thank his family. And that’s it. He’s off. Short and sweet.
1.13 East Kilbride should be next up. If the 7.4% Rutherglen swing is replicated, Linda Fabiani would beat Andy Kerr, a former finance and health minister. And Fabiani has been spotted in wild celebration ahead of the declaration…
1.05 Rutherglen brought a 7.4% swing to the SNP largely due to a collapse in Lib Dem support. If that number is repeated across the country the SNP are in for a big win.
12.55am Finally! We have a result. Labour hold Rutherglen.
12.38am Normally by midnight on election night the first results would have started to trickle through.
This year, for the first time since devolution, the witching hour has passed without a single declaration being made.
We were warned it would be slow, as returning officers are being extra cautious to avoid any repeat of the 2007 disaster with electronic counting.
The votes are being tallied by hand and the first results are not expected until 2am.
Some counts will not actually start until well into this morning, with the Fife seats, for example, not expected to declare until after lunchtime.
But what we do know from sources at the night-time counts is that the signs are looking extremely good for the SNP.
The count is under way in Perthshire, and both John Swinney and Roseanna Cunningham look set for decisive victories.
It would be a big surprise if the SNP candidates in the four Dundee and Angus constituencies which will not declare until slightly later are not equally successful.
There are also strong rumours that Aberdeen South a traditional Liberal Democrat stronghold could fall to the Nationalists.
Indeed, it seems the Lib Dems could be in for a torrid time. Rumours of a collapse in their vote following the Westminster coalition deal with the Conservatives have been rampant throughout the campaign, and there are signs their worst nightmare could be coming true.
There are even suggestions Mike Rumbles’ seat, Aberdeenshire West, could be in danger.
And with reports from around the country that even solid Labour seats might tumble, we could be in for an astonishing night.
Some people are even talking landslide.
Stay tuned.