The SNP’s newest MSP has said concerns that accusations against her predecessor Mark McDonald could have impacted the party’s majority were “not something that crossed my mind”.
Jackie Dunbar, an Aberdeen City councillor who will keep that role until the next local election, won the Aberdeen Donside seat in the Scottish Parliament in the second result announced on Friday.
Taking 18,514 votes – a 51.6% share – she beat Conservative Harriet Cross and Labour’s Heather Herbert, who secured 9,488 votes and 5,505 respectively.
Mr McDonald won the seat for the SNP five years ago but quit the party in 2018 and was briefly suspended by Parliament after being accused of inappropriate behaviour by three women.
Nicola Sturgeon’s hopes of winning an overall majority for the SNP at Holyrood election are hanging in the balance – despite her party making gains from its rivals.
The SNP picked up key seats in Edinburgh Central – where former SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson replaced the one time Scottish Tory boss Ruth Davidson – as well as as in Ayr and East Lothian.
But under Holyrood’s proportional representation system, those successes could see it lose seats on the regional list ballot.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Jackie Baillie held on to her Dumbarton constituency – which had been the most marginal seat in all of Scotland and a top target for the SNP.
Nicola Sturgeon’s hopes of winning an overall majority for the SNP at Holyrood election are hanging in the balance – despite her party making gains from its rivals.
The SNP picked up key seats in Edinburgh Central – where former SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson replaced the one time Scottish Tory boss Ruth Davidson – as well as as in Ayr and East Lothian.
But under Holyrood’s proportional representation system, those successes could see it lose seats on the regional list ballot.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Jackie Baillie held on to her Dumbarton constituency – which had been the most marginal seat in all of Scotland and a top target for the SNP.
“So really it’s going to come down to the wire in some seats I suspect.” The Glasgow Pollok constituency is expected to declare later on Friday. Meanwhile, Jason Allardyce, editor of the Sunday Times Scotland, wrote on Twitter today: Turnout for #Holyrood2021 seems to be up - possibly even reaching a record level. The final total of voters registered for the Scottish Parliament election has been confirmed at 4,280,785 – the highest electorate ever for a Scottish Parliament election. Candidates in the closely-contested Holyrood seat of Edinburgh Southern have welcomed the high turnout of postal votes as counting continues. The seat was won by Scottish Labour’s Daniel Johnson at the 2016 election, defeating then SNP incumbent Jim Eadie by a majority of 1,123 votes.
Former SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson has welcomed an “emphatic” win in Edinburgh Central – the seat formerly held by ex-Scottish Conservative chief Ruth Davidson.
Mr Robertson overturned the Conservative majority of 810, taking 16,276 votes after record numbers of voters turned out in the Scottish capital.
The Tory candidate, Scott Douglas, won 11,544 votes – giving the SNP a majority of 4,732.
Mr Robertson, who led the SNP at Westminster before losing his Moray seat at the 2017 general election, said: “This result is an emphatic and an unparalleled victory for the SNP in Edinburgh Central.
Liberal Democrat candidate Alex Cole Hamilton reacts as he holds his seat for Edinburgh Western at the Holyrood elections (Lesley Martin/PA)