The Scottish Greens have returned a record number of MSPs in the Holyrood election, creating a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament.
The Greens again failed to win a constituency, but took eight seats on regional lists, including gains in the North East and Central Scotland regions.
Now, the focus on the Greens shifts to whether they will again occupy the role of helping the SNP pass budgets and other legislation on a case-by-case basis – while extracting concessions from the ruling party – or if there will be a formal coalition between the two.
Lorna Slater was elected to Holyrood for the first time (Lesley Martin/PA)
Updated: 08/05/2021, 6:39 pm
The SNP’s Kaukab Stewart has become the first woman of colour elected to the Scottish Parliament after securing a win in Glasgow Kelvin.
The seat was always set to be a history maker at this election as Ms Stewart aimed to hold on to the seat vacated by retiring SNP MSP Sandra White against Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie who sought to become the party’s first constituency MSP.
In the end, it was the SNP hopeful who secured victory by a majority of more than 5,000 after securing 14,535 votes against Mr Harvie’s 9,077.
Labour finished in third place with Pam Duncan-Glancy winning 8,605 votes and Grahame Cannell, of the Conservatives, came in fourth on 2,850 votes. David McKenzie of the Lib Dems finished in fifth place, with 977 votes.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has pledged to form a “credible alternative” to the SNP in the next five years, despite the party’s worst performance north of the border since devolution.
The party returned 22 MSPs, down from 24 in 2016, but the head of the party – himself only in post for 10 weeks – managed to counter polls which had them falling even further.
When he took over, Mr Sarwar was facing down poll numbers as low as 14%, with some considering the Scottish Greens as a possibility for third place at the expense of Labour.
Anas Sarwar was able to counter dismal poll numbers ahead of the election (Jane Barlow/PA)
The SNP has won the seven Glasgow constituencies declared so far in the Scottish Parliament election.
Incumbent Ivan McKee, Scotland’s Trade Minister, held on to his Glasgow Provan seat as counting continued for a second day in the city.
Mr McKee won 15,913 votes, Labour’s Martin McElroy won 8,683 and the Greens’ Kim Long won 2,366.
The second result on Saturday was Glasgow Cathcart, which was held by the SNP’s James Dornan. He won 21,728 votes, Labour’s Craig Carson took 11,332 and the Conservatives’ Euan Blockley 4,041.
Glasgow Shettleston was also held by the SNP, with John Mason retaining his seat on 17,465 votes.
Alex Salmond s pro-independence party launched at the start of the Holyrood campaign in late March
He had been fighting on regional list section of ballot and aimed to win an independence supermajority
But former first minister said his new party looked set to fall short of the amount needed to pick up seats
Opponents have claimed he was unfit for office after he admitted inappropriate conduct during a trial
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross says Mr Salmond, 66, should now leave frontline politics