John Swinney has declared that the SNP has "emphatically" won the Scottish Parliament election, securing a fifth term in power, despite failing to achieve an overall majority. With all but seven seats declared, the SNP had 57 MSPs, while Labour trailed in second with 17, narrowly ahead of Reform UK on 15. The Scottish Greens recorded their best-ever Holyrood result with 13 MSPs, and the Liberal Democrats had nine. Both Scottish Labour and the Conservatives appear to have suffered their worst Holyrood performances, with the Tories winning 11 seats so far.
Swinney Calls for Respect from Westminster
Speaking after his victory, Swinney emphasised that the relationship between the Scottish and UK governments had "soured" in recent months. He said: "I'd like to enjoy a more co-operative relationship with the United Kingdom Government." Noting that Labour had been "hammered" in Scotland, Swinney added: "I hope that lesson is learned in Downing Street that there's now got to be respect for the Scottish Government exercised by the UK Government." He urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to "listen" to the message sent by Scottish voters.
Labour and Tory Leaders React
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar admitted his party was "hurting" but indicated he would not step down. "We advocate for change, we didn't win that argument, but it's my job to hold us together," he said. Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay acknowledged the party was "always likely to lose seats" given the national context, but warned that Reform UK had been "a gift to the SNP" by splitting the unionist vote.
Reform UK Enters Holyrood
Reform UK won its first MSPs, all via the regional list system. Scottish leader Lord Malcolm Offord was elected for the West of Scotland after losing his constituency bid in Inverclyde. The party's performance helped the SNP in areas like Eastwood, where Swinney's party took the seat from the Tories. The SNP also gained Shetland from the Liberal Democrats, a seat held since 1999.
Greens Celebrate Record Result
Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay hailed a "seismic result" that would "change our politics and change Scotland." The party won its first constituency seats, including Edinburgh Central, where they defeated SNP campaign director Angus Robertson. Lorna Slater, the first constituency MSP for the Greens, described it as a "fantastic day."
