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SNP on track for Euro poll first Salmond hails 'historic' Euro win
(40 minutes later)
The SNP is on track to win the largest share of the European election vote in Scotland for the first time.The SNP is on track to win the largest share of the European election vote in Scotland for the first time.
The Nationalists took 29.2% of the vote - a 10% increase, ahead of Labour's 21%. The Tories were third on 17% and the Lib Dems came fourth, on 11.6%. The Nationalists took 29.2% of the vote - a 10% increase - ahead of Labour's 21%. The Tories were third on 17% and the Lib Dems came fourth, on 11.6%.
The result means the SNP and Labour are set to return two MEPs each, with one each for the Tories and Lib Dems. The result means the SNP and Labour are set to return two MEPs each, with one each for the Tories and Lib Dems, with the Western Isles yet to declare.
Votes in the Western Isles, which does not count votes on the Sabbath, have yet to be declared. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond hailed the result as "historic".
Labour is bracing itself for a bad result across the UK as pressure continues on Gordon Brown's leadership. Labour was bracing itself for a bad result across the UK, as pressure continues on Gordon Brown's leadership.
Key results in Scotland saw the SNP taking first place in Edinburgh with the Tories second, Labour third and the Lib Dems fourth. This is not the breakthrough the SNP would have hoped for David MartinLabour MEP
And the Tories were first in East Renfrewshire - the area which covers the Westminster seat held by Scottish secretary Jim Murphy, with the SNP second and Labour third. Notable results in Scotland saw the SNP taking first place in Edinburgh with the Tories second, Labour third and the Lib Dems fourth.
EURO ELECTIONS - SCOTTISH RESULTS, MINUS WESTERN ISLES SNP - 318,360 votes (29.2%)Labour - 228,731 votes (21%)Tory - 185,283 votes (17%)Lib Dem 126,749 votes (11.6%)Swing to SNP - 7.46%Turnout - 28% And the Tories were first in East Renfrewshire - the area which covers the Westminster seat held by Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy - with the SNP second and Labour third.
Scotland's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: "The Labour vote has absolutely collapsed. Mr Salmond said the SNP had won in 21 of the 31 declared local authority areas.
"We can take two broad messages from that - firstly these election results, although they're European elections, have to be taken as an enormous vote of confidence in the SNP Government. He said: "This is a historic result for the SNP - up 10 points from the last European election - and the first time we have ever won a UK-wide election in Scotland, with a much greater margin of victory than even the Holyrood win two years ago.
She added: "People have lost faith completely with Labour." "In the contest between two governments - the SNP in Scotland, and Labour at Westminster - the people of Scotland have delivered a massive vote of confidence in the SNP Government, and a massive rejection of Labour."
Stirling Labour MP Anne McGuire said her party would take stock of Labour's share of the popular vote in the Euro polls. David Martin, who is likely to be returned as a Labour MEP in Scotland, said: "Our share of the vote is disappointing - I'm not going to run away from that."
'Pretty pleased' EURO ELECTIONS - SCOTTISH RESULTS, MINUS WESTERN ISLES SNP - 318,360 votes (29.2%)Labour - 228,731 votes (21%)Tory - 185,283 votes (17%)Lib Dem 126,749 votes (11.6%)Swing to SNP - 7.4%Turnout - 28%
"Sometimes, we have to put elections into some sort of perspective," she said, adding: "It's not the night that I would wish for, but the SNP did spectacularly badly at the last Euro elections." But he added: "This is not the breakthrough the SNP would have hoped for - 30% - given the backdrop to this election with the expenses problems in Westminster, an economy in recession a Labour Party, frankly, not as united in advance of this election as it should have been."
Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, said he was "pretty pleased" with the result.Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, said he was "pretty pleased" with the result.
He said: "In European elections, we don't tend to do as well as we do in other elections like locals or the general. But this time we've held up our vote."He said: "In European elections, we don't tend to do as well as we do in other elections like locals or the general. But this time we've held up our vote."
Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell, said: "I'm particularly pleased that we've polled very well in the areas that we need to win additional seats at Westminster - East Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway, the Borders and seats like Edinburgh South."Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell, said: "I'm particularly pleased that we've polled very well in the areas that we need to win additional seats at Westminster - East Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway, the Borders and seats like Edinburgh South."
Scotland, which is counted as a single region in European parliamentary terms, will return six MEPs - one fewer than in the last parliament.Scotland, which is counted as a single region in European parliamentary terms, will return six MEPs - one fewer than in the last parliament.
Candidates from across Scotland will hear their fate when the official announcement is made from the historic Mercat Cross in Edinburgh on Monday morning. Voter turnout in Scotland - without results from the Western Isles, which does not count votes on the Sabbath - was 28%, with a 7.4% swing to the SNP.
Candidates from across Scotland will hear their fate when the official announcement is made from the historic Mercat Cross, in Edinburgh, on Monday morning.