Holyrood Election 2026: The count begins…

UK Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has predicted the Holyrood election would see his party ‘growing very significantly’.

He praised Scottish leader Alex Cole-Hamilton for having ‘fought a fantastic campaign’ in the run-up to the May 7 ballot.

Sir Ed told BBC Scotland: ‘I’m travelling to Scotland tonight, because I think we will have results to celebrate in Scotland.’

NUJ Scotland have hit out at reports that the Perth count and at least 2 others – Inverclyde and Glenrothes – are restricting reporters ability to cover the count in the usual manner…

This is the biggest news day of the year and it is unacceptable if journalists are being barred from the floor of counts for no good reason.

From Deputy Political Editor Tom Gordon…

Angus Roberston in trouble. The Greens are confident Lorna Slater ahead of SNP heavyweight in Edinburgh Central with Labour third.

Slater expected at count soon but Robertson reportedly not coming until much later in possible sign of nerves.

John Swinney said this week the Constitution Secretary would hold on, but felt the need to campaign with him in the seat on polling day.

Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton is cruising to victory in Edinburgh North Western.

Green hopeful Kate ‘Abolish prisons’ Nevens doing well in Edinburgh North Eastern & Leith but SNP’s Ben MacPherson appears to be holding on.

Labour Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said there was ‘no sugarcoating the fact we have lost a number of really good councillors across England’.

Mr Alexander told BBC Scotland: ‘Frankly, I am more interested in what happens here in Scotland.’

He said Labour had run ‘a campaign we’re really proud of’, adding ‘we feel that we closed strong and we saw a significant momentum towards the arguments we were advancing on the doorsteps in the last few days’.

Mr Alexander, who was Scottish Labour’s campaign co-chair, continued: ‘We’ve been working hard to make this a Scottish election here in Scotland, about the government of Scotland.’

He insisted: ‘This is an election here in Scotland about the First Minister, not the Prime Minister.’

Depending on results, of course, some of the party leaders could soon find themselves in trouble.

Earlier this week, Euan McColm had a look at John Swinney’s own position, and who could replace him.

The BBC captured ballot boxes arriving by ferry from the island of Bressay for the Shetland count.

Voters received some sound advice in Inverness yesterday.

Our reporter Dan Barker has this…

Scotland’s looming £4.7billion budget blackhole should have been ‘at the centre of the election campaign’, one of the country’s most influential organisations has said.

Michelle Ferguson, Scotland director of the CBI, said that no party had offered a credible plan to close the shortfall that will ‘define every decision made’ by the next Holyrood government.

Writing in The Herald she said:

Scotland has a £4.7bn problem that politicians don’t want to talk about, certainly not at this election. It’s a number that should have been at the centre of the election campaign but can’t be found in any of the parties’ manifestos. And yet it will likely define every decision made by the Scottish Government, starting on day one.

Ministers expect outgoings to exceed funding for day-to-day spending by £2.6billion by 2029/30 and for capital spending by £2.1billion.

That equals to 4 per cent of day-to-day spending and an astonishing 23 per cent of capital spending by that financial year.

Ms Ferguson warned: ‘The clock is ticking, the number is £4.7bn, and it is time that politicians from all parties were honest about the economic realities we face.’

When Malcolm Offord picked up his mis-spelled name tag at Greenock Town Hall this morning, he could at least see the funny side. Depending on results, some of his rivals might not be in such a jovial mood later on…

There have been four cases of potential personation in Glasgow constituencies, election officials have said.

Personation is an offence which sees someone vote while claiming to be another person.

Two cases were recorded in the Glasgow Southside seat, one in Kelvin and Maryhill, and another in Cathcart and Pollok.

Elections bosses will sift through the ballots to remove them and pass to police, but the votes will be counted.

Our reporter Claire Elliot has this…

Police have launched a probe amid claims a Liberal Democrat candidate was attacked by a man who called him a ‘paedophile’ and an ‘invader’.

Tanvir Ahmad was leafletting in the Dundee City East constituency ahead of election day when he alleges he was accosted by the man who shouted insults at him in the city’s O’Neill Terrace, in the Craigie area, on Wednesday afternoon.

He posted about the incident on social media and a spokesman for Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating saying: ‘We received a report of an assault on O’Neill Terrace in Dundee around 4pm on Wednesday May 6, 2026. Inquiries are ongoing.’

The Lib Dem leader treated himself to a glass of wine last night after the polls closed, and he was in confident mood…

I haven’t had a drink since New Year’s Eve, because this campaign may be the most important thing I will ever do. This felt like our Everest, our Olympic medal shot… We will have much to celebrate tomorrow when the votes are counted.