Scottish Labour sweeps to victory as SNP has 'difficult' night

Scottish Labour has swept to victory in the general election in Scotland, securing well over half of the 57 seats.

The party currently has 37 seats north of the border, including a clean sweep in Glasgow and winning over much of the central belt.

The SNP has had a disappointing night, on just nine seats.

The Scottish Conservatives also lost ground but managed to hold on to five of its six seats, in large part due to the SNP share of the vote dropping more than their own in those races.

The Scottish Lib Dems have has a strong night, sending five MPs to Westminster.

There is one seats left to declare. Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire is not expected until Saturday due to statistical error at the count.

It comes as Labour win a huge majority at UK level, with a disastrous night for the Conservatives.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he was “delighted” with the results. He said: “Tomorrow the hard work begins to deliver that change right across the UK and I’m determined that we have a Labour government with Scotland’s at its heart.”

Keir Starmer is expected to visit to King later today to formally become prime minister.

First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney said it had been a “very, very difficult night” for his party.

The SNP has been widely expected to lose seats but few polls had losses to this extent.

Swinney added: “I am sorry for the valued colleagues who have lost their seats. We need to learn from this setback, listen to the public and pick ourselves back up. We have to do that because we want to do the best for Scotland.”

Outgoing Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross lost his bid to return as an MP, with the SNP’s Seamus Logan defeating him by just 942 votes.

However the Conservative did hold other seats in the north east, as well as in the borders.

Ross said the election had been “extremely challenging” for his party, but he insisted the “demise of the SNP” had been the major story in Scotland.