General Election 2015: Dunfermline and West Fife ‘looks very promising’ for SNP

The SNP are confident of wresting the Dunfermline and West Fife seat from Labour’s grip.

Candidate Douglas Chapman said things were “looking very good” as counting continued.

Exit polls predicted the party would take the once safe Labour constituency from Thomas Docherty.

Mr Chapman said: “It looks very promising. We need to get a few more boxes in just to confirm our position.”

But, he said: “It looks as if we are following the national trend.

“Certainly in Scotland if we are aiming for 58 seats, it looks like Dunfermline and West Fife will be one of the 58.”

There was no sign of Mr Docherty at the count as midnight passed, but Labour MSP Cara Hilton said: “It has been looking good on the doorstep.”

Over the last three decades, the seat, previously Dunfermline West, has been held almost exclusively by Labour.