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European election: UKIP on course for Scots MEP seat | European election: UKIP on course for Scots MEP seat |
(35 minutes later) | |
UKIP is on course to win its first Scottish seat in the European election, on a night which saw the SNP win the most votes overall. | |
Scotland's party of power is expected to win two of the six MEP seats, with two for Labour and one for the Conservatives. | Scotland's party of power is expected to win two of the six MEP seats, with two for Labour and one for the Conservatives. |
The Liberal Democrats, who came sixth, are likely to lose their previously held European Parliament seat. | |
A total of 31 out of Scotland's 32 council areas declared overnight. | |
The full Scottish result will be known later on Monday, as the Western Isles does not count votes on a Sunday. Voter turnout was 33.5%. | |
UKIP lead candidate David Coburn, whose party won 10% of the vote in Scotland, said the result showed his party had appeal beyond England. | |
He claimed, ahead of the 18 September Scottish independence referendum, the SNP had peaked and were now on the slide. | He claimed, ahead of the 18 September Scottish independence referendum, the SNP had peaked and were now on the slide. |
Earlier, Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond said a UKIP win in Scotland, in fourth place, would still be a "world of difference" when compared to the party's performance in other parts of the UK. | Earlier, Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond said a UKIP win in Scotland, in fourth place, would still be a "world of difference" when compared to the party's performance in other parts of the UK. |
The SNP won 386,193 votes on the night - almost 29% - with Labour coming second, on 346,377 votes (25.9%). | |
In third place was the Conservatives, with 230,569 votes (17.2%), followed by UKIP on 139,687 (10.4%). | |
The Scottish Greens hailed their "best ever result", after winning 107,805 votes (8%), while the Liberal Democrats got a total of 95,076 votes (7%). | |
The European Parliament's powers have expanded since the last election, and the 751 MEPs now negotiate legislation with national government ministers, before parliament votes on the laws. | |
They also have a say on budget areas, including agriculture and regional aid. | |
European Parliament seats are allocated in proportion to each country's population. | |
Britain is one of eight countries to use a "closed list" system where people vote for a party, rather than an individual, with seats allocated within each European constituency using the D'hondt system, a form of proportional representation. | |
The new intake of MEPs will be representing 500 million citizens in 28 states. |