Former First Minister Alex Salmond will return to the House of Commons after winning the Gordon seat this evening.
Salmond arrived with his wife Moira at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre for the count to loud applause and cheers and watched on as he claimed the seat from the Liberal Democrats.
Speaking prior to the results being announced, Salmond spoke to the P&J and said: “The 73% turn out is great, just fantastic.
“I have been saying throughout the campaign we have been preparing for what looks like a very substantial victory for the SNP across Scotland. The electrification of politics, the empowerment effect of the referendum has carried through into the general election.
“I had six public meetings in addition to the hustings in the Gordon constituency. There were amazing attendances extraordinary questions at each pubic meeting.
“I had a meeting in Collieston, for example, which is a village of about 200 people and 50 people turned up to the meeting.
“That’s about a quarter the population of the village and the questions they were asking were of extraordinary intensity and detail. We have now the most informed, articulate and engaged electorate in the Western World. We are a changed nation and a better nation.”
Full Gordon results
- SNP – 27,223
- Labour – 3,441
- Conservatives – 6,807
- Lib Dem – 19,030
- UKIP – 1,166