Labour sweeps to victory in Scotland as SNP set for period of ‘soul searching’

Anas Sarwar’s party tore across the country’s central belt, mirroring the success of the UK-wide party and sweeping the SNP out of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Meanwhile, First Minister John Swinney pledged a period of “soul searching” after what he described as a “very poor” performance for the SNP.

Outgoing Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross also failed in his bid to return to Westminster.

“It’s a very poor result for the SNP tonight,” Mr Swinney told the BBC.

“There will have to be a lot of soul searching as a party as a consequence of these results that have come in tonight.”

Mr Swinney said the SNP has to be “better at governing on behalf of the people of Scotland”, adding that the party was not “winning the argument” on Scottish independence.

He said: “Although we’re going to have a bad election result tonight, I still believe in my head and in my heart that Scotland will be better off as an independent country.

“But we’re obviously not winning that argument with the public to make that a priority at this moment, so we’ve got to think long and hard about how we address that question and I don’t think that in the early hours of the morning after a General Election I can give you the definitive answer to what we do in that circumstance.”

Speaking as he arrived at the Glasgow count, Scottish Labour leader Mr Sarwar said the push for change will begin on Friday.

Mr Ross sought election to the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat in place of former MP David Duguid, who was barred from standing by party bosses due to ill health.

His decision – which reversed an announcement he would not seek re-election to Westminster – was met with criticism from opponents and some within his own party.