The Liberal Democrats have set their sights on their best-ever result in the Scottish Parliament election, as the final votes were counted. The party hopes to capitalise on public frustration with the SNP and Labour, aiming to increase their seat count significantly.
While the SNP secured a muted victory, their support plunged to the lowest constituency vote share since 2007, at 38.3%. Labour tied with Reform UK for second place, a result described as a defeat made in Downing Street by veteran Labour politicians. The Scottish Greens achieved what co-leader Gillian Mackay called a 'seismic' result, gaining MSPs in every area of the country.
The Liberal Democrats made gains, including a surprise victory in Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles), where local anger over the ferries crisis hurt the SNP. The party's success came despite the fracturing of the pro-union vote, with Reform UK allowing the SNP to win many constituency seats by splitting the anti-independence vote, according to Scottish Conservatives chair Craig Hoy.
The new Holyrood chamber will have a different character, with Reform UK's MSPs, including Senga Beresford and Amanda Lindsay, taking key roles on committees. The Scottish Greens group includes Iris Duane, the parliament's first trans woman member, and Q Manivannan, a non-binary Tamil immigrant. The SNP's new cohort includes experienced players from Westminster.
