SNP wins the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, while Tories see big gains

The SNP has won the 2016 Scottish Parliament election but it came short of the number of seats needed for a majority. The Conservatives and Greens saw big gains, while Labour collapsed.

The SNP won 63 seats – two few of a majority – the Conservatives took 31, Labour won 24, the Greens six, and the Lib Dems five.

Speaking in her own constituency of Glasgow Southside, Nicola Sturgeon said that, as the first ever party to win three elections in a row, the SNP had made history. The SNP won six more constituency seats than in 2011, but suffered on the list.

Reacting to the result, Sturgeon said: “We have tonight made history. It is a vote of confidence in the record in government of the SNP and it is a vote of trust in the SNP to lead our country forward. We in the SNP will always stand up for Scotland. And tonight Scotland has stood with us.

“In closing tonight, I want to make a pledge to every single person in our country. To seek and to win a mandate and be the first minister of our country is a special and very precious thing.”

For the Conservatives the night was a triumph, with the party’s success seeming to disprove any claims the party’s brand was too toxic to beat Labour in Scotland.

Speaking after winning Edinburgh Central, Ruth Davidson said it was “a really good night” for the Tories, with the party increasing its vote in areas where the party has historically lacked a presence.

She said: “These are really a testament to the hard work of my team right across the country.”

“But I recognise that the people who are voting for us, they’re not all dyed in the wool blue Tories or anything like it, they’re voting for us because there is a very particular job that they want us to do, to be that strong opposition and it’s a job that I take exceptionally seriously and I will endeavour to execute to the very best of my ability.”

Labour had been braced for a tough night, but still, the party was clearly shocked by the reality of being overtaken by the Tories. Former MP Thomas Docherty, third on Labour’s Mid Scotland and Fife regional list, said the result was proof the party had moved “further backwards” from its failure at the general election.

But Kezia Dugdale was adamant she would stay on as leader, despite the party falling from 2nd to 3rd place in the Parliament.

Dudgale said: “It’s a very bad night for the Labour party, there is no question about that.”

“I was adamant that I would fight this as an election about the future, talking about the potential for change, using the powers of our new parliament to deliver that change instead of rerunning the arguments of the past.

“And I know that for some the constitutional argument remains the most important factor when casting their vote and my determination to try and move the Scottish debate on will have cost me and my party votes tonight.

“But in the long run I believe our politics has to be about the future of our economy, the life chances of the children in this country and our public services and I and my party will continue to make that argument in our new parliament.”

Meanwhile the Greens gained four seats on 2011, with the party managing to take two on the Lothians list. Ross Greer, elected on the West of Scotland list, will be the youngest MSP in Scottish Parliament history.

Greer said: “To be the youngest MSP ever elected is exciting for me personally but more importantly, it shows the confidence Scotland has in our young people.”

The Lib Dems saw no change in the number of MSPs, taking four constituency seats and one on the list, with Willie Rennie winning North East Fife from Roderick Campbell. Rennie said taking the seat was a “tremendous result”, adding “I've had the time of my life in this campaign”.

Overall though the result looks certain to change the dynamic of the Parliament, with 11 incumbent MSPs losing seats.