SNP return 6 in Highlands in election landslide

SNP Highland constituency winners (from left) Fergus Ewing, David Thompson and Rob Gibson

THE SNP grabbed majority control of Holyrood with a stunning landslide victory in the Scottish Parliament election which included taking all three Highland constituencies and returning a total of six North MSPs

Fergus Ewing polled a huge increase in his majority in the Inverness and Nairn constituency.

Meanwhile, the SNP’s David Thompson triumphed in the new Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency covering key Liberal Democrat voting areas which had regularly returned Charles Kennedy to Westminster.

And the SNP Highland hat-trick was completed by Rob Gibson taking the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat long held by the Lib Dems.

Also joining them at Holyrood from the regional list are colleagues John Finnie, Jean Urquhart Scottish National Party and Mike Mackenzie.

The Highlands and Islands regional list vote also saw Rhoda Grant and David Stewart returned for Labour and Jamie McGrigor and Mary Scanlon returned for the Conservatives.

In stark contrast to the SNP landslide victory, the Liberal Democrats now have no Highlands and Islands MSPs.

And the SNP were celebrating victory in the elections nationwide following a similar collapse of the Labour and Liberal Democrats vote throughout Scotland.

EWING ROMPS HOME

Fergus Ewing was defending a 5471 majority from the previous split Inverness seat. His margin of victory in the new radically realigned seat was 9,745.

In Inverness, where Treasury Chief Danny Alexander is local MP and holds a Westminster coalition cabinet seat, Lib Dem candidate Christine Jardine was beaten into fourth place.

Mr Ewing said: "I think this day has shown that throughout the three mainland Highland seats people have bestowed their votes, their faith and their trust in the SNP. All of us will work hard to continue to earn that trust on their behalf.

"I have been honoured to be part of a campaign which has been relentlessly positive in our vision for Scotland.

"I think one of the reasons why people have put their trust in the SNP is that we have, as part of the first SNP government, sought to work with people in all parties and cast aside the bickering and the animosity. And I very much intend that will continue over the next five years.

"This is a great day and the last thing I would like to say is to my mother Winnie Ewing, ‘mum if you are watching I hope I have done no bad’."

RESULT

Inverness and Nairn

Fergus Ewing (SNP) – 16,870

David Stewart (Lab) – 7,125

Mary Scanlon (Con) – 3,797

Christine Jardine (Lib Dem) – 3,763

Ross Durance (UKIP) – 530

Donald Boyd (Scottish Christian Party) – 646

Majority – 9,745

Turnout – 52.8%

THOMPSON TRIUMPHS

The Liberal Democrats suffered a stunning defeat in the Scottish Parliament election in the new Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency - the heartland of two party stalwarts.

The SNP’s David Thompson grabbed the new seat which was created after major boundary changes, but contained key voting strongholds for sitting Westminster MP Charles Kennedy and retiring veteran MSP John Farquhar Munro.

The Lib-Dem candidate Alan MacRae was beaten into second place with Mr Thompson, a regional list MSP in the previous parliament, returned with a 4995 majority.

Mr Thompson said: "I am very pleased to have such a resounding victory, getting nearly 15,000 votes compared to the 10,000 I got in Ross, Skye and Inverness West last time and it is down to a lot of hard work by our team of volunteers.

"I hope the work I have done in the last four years as a Highlands and Islands MSP has had some part to play as well.

"I believe very strongly that the people of the Highlands and Islands like to look at the individual, at the person, when they are electing MSPs and MPs and although there was a core foundation vote, if you do the right thing and are loyal to the people of the Highlands and Islands they will be loyal to you."

RESULT

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch

Dave Thompson (SNP) – 14,737

Alan MacRae (Lib Dem) – 9,742

Linda Stewart (Lab) – 4,112

Kerensa Carr (Con) – 2,834

Ronnie Campbell (no description) – 490

Majority – 4,995

Turnout – 56.23%

GIBSON GLORY

THE Lib-Dems were hammered in a long-held Highland heartland area when veteran SNP campaigner Rob Gibson won the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat in the Scottish Parliament elections.

Mr Gibson, a regional list MSP in the previous parliament, swept to victory with a massive 7,458 majority over closest rival, the Lib-Dem’s Robbie Rowantree. The Lib-Dems had been defending a 2323 majority held by retiring MSP Jamie Stone.

The SNP were celebrating victory in the elections nationwide following the collapse of the Labour and Liberal-Democrat vote.

Mr Gibson said: "The people of the three counties that make up this stunning constituency placed their trust in me to stand up for them in Edinburgh and I very happy to do so. From Canisbay to Contin and Applecross to Embo the voters have chosen political renewal.

"People here demand a hard working MSP and a Scottish government that will stand up for them and that’s exactly what they will get.

"We bring big thinking and fresh ideas and this area like the rest of the nation has rejected the rut of pessimism and voted for a new positive and ambitious leadership."

RESULT

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross

Rob Gibson (SNP) – 13,843

Robbie Rowantree (Lib Dem) – 6,385

John MacKay (Lab) – 5,438

Edward Mountain (Con) – 2,934

Majority – 7,458

Turnout – 52.14%

REGIONAL LIST WINNERS

1 Rhoda Grant (Lab)

2 Jamie McGrigor (Con)

3 David Stewart (Lab)

4 John Finnie Scottish National Party (SNP)

5 Jean Urquhart Scottish National Party (SNP)

6 Mary Scanlon (Con)

7 Mike Mackenzie Scottish National Party (SNP)