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Local elections results as they happened: SNP gains and Lib Dem resurgence as Tories take a bruising

The SNP remain the biggest party in both Edinburgh and Glasgow after another election victory in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon hailed the seismic result and tweeted: “National/city trends aside, this result is seismic. For years, Pollokshields was the only Tory seat in Glasgow and it seemed we would never take it.”

Elsewhere in the city, leader Susan Aiken was overtaken by the Scottish Greens on first preference votes in the Langside ward.

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Meanwhile across Scotland and the UK it was a damaging night for the Conservatives.

Alex Salmond’s Alba party have failed to secure any councillors

Local elections results LIVE: 2022 Scottish council elections as they happened

Sir Keir Starmer hails ‘turning point’ for Labour

The Labour leader is clearly optimistic about the party’s fortunes after today’s results, but his shadow international trade secretary was more cautious in her cry of having “great hope” after the depths of 2019’s defeat.

Emily Thornberry said: “Some people were saying it was the end of the Labour Party, we weren’t going to get anywhere, that was it. And we are turning things around.”

She added: “We are not saying we would win the general election tomorrow. What we are saying is we are on our way.”

Aberdeenshire bucks the trend as Tories make gains

It’s not all doom and gloom for the Tories.

The Conservatives, who previously formed a ruling coalition at Aberdeenshire Council with the Liberal Democrats and a handful of independents, made gains in Troup, Ellon and Turriff.

John Duncan, chairman of the Conservative and Unionist Association of Aberdeenshire, with Councillor Ann Ross, who held her seat in Banchory and Mid Deeside.John Duncan, chairman of the Conservative and Unionist Association of Aberdeenshire, with Councillor Ann Ross, who held her seat in Banchory and Mid Deeside.
John Duncan, chairman of the Conservative and Unionist Association of Aberdeenshire, with Councillor Ann Ross, who held her seat in Banchory and Mid Deeside.

Analysis: Why the Tories are bruised but still standing

Westminster correspondent Alexander Brown talks us through an election which saw the worst results for the Tories in Scotland and London, but he says the party could still be competitive.

Douglas Ross points the finger at Boris Johnson over party losses

Douglas Ross knows who he’s blaming for the losses.Douglas Ross knows who he’s blaming for the losses.
Douglas Ross knows who he’s blaming for the losses.

Douglas Ross has stopped short of backtracking once again on his stance regarding Boris Johnson’s future as UK Tory party leader.He says that Boris can’t ignore these results, after the Conservatives suffered heavy losses in the council elections.

It comes after he originally called on Mr Johnson to resign in the wake of Partygate before backpedalling and saying he should stay.

However, the latest salvo fired at the PM shows Mr Ross is still keen to distance himself from his boss.Full story here

RESULT: The SNP is now the largest on Highland Council.

The Scottish National Party remain on 22 of the 74 councillors.

The Lib Dems made big gains, up five to 15, and the Scottish Greens were up three to four.

The Scottish Conservatives won 10 seats and Scottish Labour two.