Perth and Kinross delivered more stunning victories for the SNP as John Swinney and Roseanna Cunningham were returned to the Scottish Parliament on massively increased majorities.
As two of the party’s most recognisable figures, they had expected to do well, but eventually trounced the Scottish Conservatives in both the Perthshire North and Perthshire South and Kinross-shire constituencies.
Each SNP candidate extended the margin of victory over other challengers compared to the Scottish Elections in 2007, and while boundary changes will have had some impact the victory was nonetheless impressive.
The two Perthshire seats were newly created for this parliament following a boundary review and replaced the former Tayside North and Perth seats.
Ms Cunningham’s 16,073 votes in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire saw her advantage over Tory opponent Elizabeth Smith rise from a little over 2000 to a far more emphatic 7166.
The result was being hailed as a huge success for the SNP, with the constituency having been identified as one of the Tories’ top targets in Scotland.
Instead, residents gave Ms Cunningham 51% of all votes cast and a firm grip on the area. Labour and the Liberal Democrats were a distant third and fourth respectively.
Colleague John Swinney meanwhile blew away his opponents in Perthshire North with 18,219 votes, compared to just 7866 votes for Scottish Tory deputy leader Murdo Fraser.
Both disappointed Tory politicians will however be confident of securing re-election through the list system, with the Mid Scotland and Fife seats set to be announced this afternoon.
Voting was relatively strong throughout Perth and Kinross with 56.3% of eligible voters making it to the polls in Perthshire North and 53.9% in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire.
There were 207 rejected papers throughout the two areas.
Photos by Louis Flood.For more election coverage, click here.