Holyrood Election 2026: The count begins…

The SNP’s Stephen Gethins wins in Dundee City East with 12,969 votes. The win comes despite the fact the SNP is down 10 per cent on their result here at the last election.

Scottish Labour’s Cheryl-Ann Cruickshank comes second with 4,792 votes. Reform UK are close behind Labour with candidate Mark Simpson getting 4,135 votes.

The turnout was 47 per cent.

Speaking about his win in Aberdeen Central, SNP MSP Jack Middleton – a former special adviser to John Swinney – says his win is the ‘greatest honour of my life’.

John Swinney has arrived at Dewars Centre in Perth with his wife Elizabeth.

Douglas Ross reveals on TV that this isn’t the only important development today as Mr Swinney’s son has a Nat 5 maths exam on today.

Making very brief comments to the media as he walked onto the counting floor, the SNP leader said: ‘I’m feeling very well, very optimistic, very positive.

‘We fought a positive campaign, and look forward to a positive result today.’

The Nationalist has said that securing a majority at Holyrood would constitute a demand for another vote on the future of Scotland’s place in the Union.

Asked if he was on course for that majority, of which the SNP won in 2011 under Alex Salmond, a smiling Mr Swinney said: ‘We’ll keep an eye on the results. There’s not many have come out so far.

The SNP’s Alan Brown wins with 11,919 with Scottish Labour’s Ewan MacPhee coming second with 7,458.

The Shetland Islands is won by the SNP’s Hannah Goodlad with 5,453 votes. Scottish Lib Dem Emma Macdonald is second with 3,936 votes.

The SNP hold Aberdeen central with its candidate Jack Middleton securing 11,974 votes. Second place is Scottish Labour’s Jenny Laing with 5,002 votes.

The Labour candidate in Orkney seemed oddly familiar…

And fans of Last of the Summer Wine would no doubt agree that there was certainly a look of ‘Compo’ about him!

The Scottish Greens seem confident of success in Glasgow.

Sources say they are doing well in both Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill and Glasgow Southside.

The party’s candidates Iris Duane and Holly Bruce are all smiles as they are greeted by former party leader Patrick Harvie at the vote at the Glasgow International Arena.

Returning MSP Liam McArthur is asked if the Scottish Lib Dems would be willing to help form a government with the SNP given the Nationalists look like they won’t get a majority.

He replies: ‘I think I’d have reservations about any formal coalition and [leader] Alex Cole Hamilton has made clear his reservations about such an arrangement.’

Reservations don’t necessarily mean it couldn’t happen. Time will tell.

The SNP have taken Dundee City West with Heather Anderson securing 12,722 votes. It’s double the 6,365 votes secured by Scottish Labour’s Michael Marra.

Turnout there was 46 per cent.

From Deputy Political Editor Tom Gordon…

Tories think they could fall from 3 MSPs to one on Edinburgh regional list.

Miles Briggs back safely but Sue Webber at risk. Could come down to battle for list votes with Greens and some very tight arithmetic.

SNP look to have held Edinburgh South Western (formerly Pentlands).

The SNP’s Stephen Flynn has just arrived at the north-east count where he was greeted with hugs from activists.

The Westminster leader is hoping to secure the Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine seat at Holyrood having been voted to represent Aberdeen South in the last general election.

And asked how he as feeling about today’s result, which is expected sometime this afternoon, he said: ‘Always confident’.