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
Falkirk West turnout surges
Returning Officers for the Falkirk West constituency has announced a turnout of 62.23 per cent in the Scottish Parliament elections.
That's an increase from the 53.8 per cent who voted in the 2016 elections.
The rise is very similar to the 62.89 per rise announced yesterday by Returning Officer Kenneth Lawrie, at the Falkirk East count.
Counting is now well underway for the second day in Grangemouth Sports Complex.
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Scottish Election 2021: Big rise in turnout of Falkirk West voters
Falkirk West constituency has just announced a turnout of 62.23 per cent in the Scottish Parliament elections.
SNP hold Aberdeen South and North Kincardine
The SNP’s Audrey Nicoll has been elected in Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, with a majority of 1,671 votes.
The Scottish Conservatives, who came second, saw their vote share rise by 4.5 per cent - compared to just 0.2 per cent for the SNP.
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Minister admits he is ‘not expecting good news’ in list vote
Scottish Government minister Paul Wheelhouse has admitted he is “not expecting good news” on the regional list on Saturday.
Mr Wheelhouse lost his bid to take Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire from Tory incumbent Rachael Hamilton by 18,564 to 11,701 votes.
Gains in other parts of the South Scotland region may harm the energy and islands minister’s chances on the regional list, with the SNP taking the East Lothian and Ayr seats from Labour and the Tories respectively.
Under Holyrood’s voting system, winning constituencies in a certain region harms the chances of a party also gaining seats on the corresponding regional list.
In a tweet replying to a supporter, Mr Wheelhouse said he was hoping for the SNP to secure one list seat, but because he is third in the party’s ranking it may not go to him.
“Not expecting it will be good news personally given the fact I am third, but still hopeful we get at least one list MSP elected to cover our area,” he said.
Possible case of electoral fraud investigated by police
A possible case of electoral fraud is being investigated by police at the Edinburgh count for the Holyrood election.
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A possible case of electoral fraud is being investigated by police at the Edinburgh count
A possible case of electoral fraud is being investigated by police at the Edinburgh count for the Holyrood election.
SNP second referendum bid irresponsible, says Eustice as vote counting resumes
Granting a second independence referendum in Scotland would be “irresponsible”, according to the Environment Secretary, as counting gets under way again to determine whether the SNP has won a majority in Holyrood.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to continue with plans for a referendum as her party’s chances of taking more than 65 seats in the Scottish Parliament remained in the balance as counting resumed on Saturday.
