Scottish Election 2021 results LIVE: SNP finish one short of a majority on 64 | Scottish Conservatives hold key seat of Aberdeenshire West | Alex Salmond fails to win seat | Kaukab Stewart becomes first woman of colour elected to Scottish Parliament | Full regional vote list announced
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As Day Two of the election count continues, stay up-to-date with The Scotsman election live blog.
Scottish Parliament elections 2021 LIVE: SNP win election with 64 seats - one short of majority
Key Events
- SNP win election with 64 seats - one short of majority
- Sturgeon hails ‘emphatic’ victory
- Tories second with 31 seats, Labour third with 22
- No seats for Salmond’s Alba party
- Police investigate possible voter fraud in Edinburgh
- Kaukab Stewart becomes first woman of colour elected
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The Scotsman analysis: Six seats that helped decide the election
Here are some of the key seats which helped decide the final shape of the Scottish Parliament
The final make-up of the new parliament will only be decided once the allocation of the regional list seats takes place at the end of the counts across the country.
Scottish Labour take three list seats in Central Scotland
The Scottish Labour party have taken three list seats in the Central Scotland electoral region.
Their tally has been matched by the Tories, who have also won three seats.
The Scottish Greens have taken a single seat in the region.
For any Westminster politician who tries to stand in the way of a second referendum, I would say two things. Firstly, you’re not picking a fight with the SNP, you’re picking a fight with the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland. Secondly, you will not succeed.
Tories take four seats in Highlands & Islands region
The Scottish Conservatives have taken four of list seats in the Highlands & Islands electoral region, including one for leader Douglas Ross..
Meanwhile the SNP have gained a seat in the region, while Labour and the Greens each took one.
Mason: ‘Not the end of world’ if referendum takes another decade
One of the SNP's newly reelected MSPs has said it would not be "the end of the world" if it took another decade before a referendum on Scottish independence was held.
John Mason, who held Glasgow Shettleston, said he wanted to see support for independence in opinion polls exceed 70 per cent before another vote was held.
Mr Mason, who generally seen as something of an outlier within the party he has represented at Holyrood since 2011, said consistent high polling was the best way of forcing Boris Johnson’s hand.
Read the full story:
SNP MSP says 'not the end of world' if referendum takes another decade
One of the SNP's newly reelected MSPs has said it would not be "the end of the world" if it took another decade before a referendum on Scottish independence was held.
SNP hold Glasgow Kelvin
The first woman of colour has been elected to the Scottish Parliament after Kaukab Stewart took the Glasgow Kelvin constituency for the SNP.
In her acceptance speech, Ms Stewart said: "It is without doubt an honour to be elected as the first woman of colour to the Scottish Parliament.
"It has taken too long, but to all the women and girls of colour out there: the Scottish Parliament belongs to you too, so whilst I may be the first, I will not be the last."
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‘Whilst I may be the first, I will not be the last’ - Kaukab Stewart becomes first woman of colour to serve as MSP
Kaukab Stewart will become the first woman of colour to serve as an MSP in the Scottish Parliament after she held the Glasgow Kelvin constituency for the SNP.
The world is watching and Scotland wants to join the family of nations. It’s just a matter of time.
The Scotsman analysis: Aberdeenshire West
Scottish Election 2021 results: SNP fails to gain Aberdeenshire West in majority blow
The SNP have failed to gain the Aberdeenshire West constituency from the Scottish Conservatives.
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BBC seat prediction
The SNP is set to fall short of an overall majority, according to the BBC’s new seat prediction.
Professor Sir John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, said Nicola Sturgeon’s party would likely take 63 of Holyrood’s 129 seats.
Meanwhile the Scottish Conservatives would trail on 31, followed by Scottish Labour on 22, the Scottish Greens on nine, and the Scottish Lib Dems on four.
The result would be disappointing for the Greens, who had been projected to win around a dozen seats based on polling during the campaign.
But it would also be bitterly disappointing for the Lib Dems.
If the BBC’s prediction proves accurate, Willie Rennie’s party will fall short of the five seats needed to secure a guaranteed question at FMQs - and a host of other significant benefits given to parties with more than five seats.
SNP hold Edinburgh Pentlands
Gordon MacDonald has been re-elected in Edinburgh Pentlands for the SNP.
Tories hold key seat of Aberdeenshire West
Aberdeenshire West has been held by the Scottish Conservatives, as Alexander Burnett is re-elected.
The seat was crucial to SNP hopes of securing a majority in Holyrood.
The result means Nicola Sturgeon’s party is likely to fall short of the 65 seats needed to form a majority Scottish Government.
Tories not confident of fourth Lothian list seat
Scottish Conservatives are not said to be confident of a fourth seat in the Lothian regional list.
A party source suggested the seat would likely fall to the Scottish Greens by a handful of votes instead, and blamed the All For Unity Party for splitting its support.