Nicola Sturgeon hints she will shelve second independence referendum after 21 SNP MPs including Alex Salmond lose their seats
NICOLA STURGEON today hinted that a second referendum on Scottish referendum could be shelved after more than 20 Nationalist MPs including Alex Salmond lost their seats.
The First Minister said she would "reflect carefully on the result" as she acknowledged that the SNP's support for independence had cost them votes.
Mr Salmond and deputy leader Angus Robertson were among those who lost their seats as the Tories, led by Ruth Davidson, surged in rural areas of Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon had been hoping for a large mandate which would have allowed her to make the case for a second referendum on Scottish independence.
But the Nationalists have lost 21 seats - leaving them far from the dominance they enjoyed in 2015.
Speaking in Edinburgh this afternoon, Ms Sturgeon said: "In Scotland the SNP won this election, we have more seats than all the other parties combined.
"It is an inescapable fact that we also suffered some bitterly disappointing losses last night.
"We will reflect on these results, we will listen to voters, and we will consider very carefully the right way forward for Scotland.
"As First Minister, it is my job and my duty to govern in the interests of everybody in Scotland. I know that in these times, this is more important than ever."
Asked if the SNP's losses had killed off the chance of a second referendum, she replied: "I said that I'm going to reflect carefully on the result, and I'm going to take some time to do that.
"Undoubtedly the issue of an independence referendum was a factor in this election result."
Mr Robertson, the SNP leader in Westminster, lost his Moray seat to the Conservatives, who took over with a majority of 4,159 votes.
Then Mr Salmond was dethroned by the Tories in his seat of Gordon, with the Scottish Conservatives grabbing a majority of 3,693 on an astonishing swing of 20 per cent.
The Tories have grabbed 12 mostly rural seats from the SNP - but Labour and the Lib Dems have also made gains in Scotland.
Labour has won six seats from the SNP in the areas around Edinburgh and Glasgow - winning seven seats total - while the Lib Dems won three additional Scottish seats.
Before the election, the SNP said they were seeking a "triple lock" on a second referendum, after their victory in the 2016 Scottish parliament election and a vote of MSPs earlier this year.
But after suffering such a large blow overnight, it could be much harder for them to argue that the Scottish people are keen for a re-run of the independence vote.
Ms Sturgeon said overnight that she could join with Labour and other left-wing parties in an alliance to keep out the Tories.
Nevertheless, senior SNP MP Stewart Hosie told he did not want to start thinking about coalitions.
He said: "If this poll is correct it would still point to the SNP winning the election in Scotland, which is what we set out to achieve.
"I don't recall us ever voting for significant Tory policy in the past and it would be hard to see in the current climate with the austerity cuts, hard Brexit party, that we would want to support them in any way in this future parliament."
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The SNP's loss has been Theresa May's gain, with the Tories scooping up surprise Scottish seats including that of Mike Weir, who was defeated in the Angus seat he has held since 2001, and Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, who lost Ochil and South Perthshire.
In East Dunbartonshire, Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson regained the seat from the SNP’s John Nicolson.
Ms Swinson had held the seat for a decade before being ousted by Mr Nicolson in 2015.
After the result was declared, she said: "I recognise all of those who put party allegiance to one side to send a clear message that East Dunbartonshire does not want another divisive independence referendum.
"Nicola Sturgeon, I hope you’re listening."
Some of the key details from the turbulent night so far:
- Hung parliament confirmed with Tories missing out on majority of 326 with polls predicting 318 seats - down from 330
- Labour forecast to take 262 - up from 232 in 2015. They are
- Theresa May faces mounting pressure – with the odds slashed on Boris Johnson to be the next PM
- Fears grow Brexit negotiations could be sunk if Mrs May does not secure a majority
- Lib Dem Nick Clegg loses Sheffield Hallam seat but Vince Cable regains Twickenham while leader Tim Farron clings on
- Home Secretary Amber Rudd holds on to Hastings seat by barely 300 votes meaning she stays a contender to replace the PM
- Huge losses for SNP as former chief Alex Salmond and deputy leader Angus Robertson are both beaten by the Tories.
- Labour on march in London beating Tories to Battersea constituency
- Pound slides two per cent as exit poll predicts hung parliament
- Ukip voters desert party with vote share down by ten per cent - but not all move to the Tories
- Growing fears that Mrs May will have to call a second election later this year