A "remarkable" result for the SNP

The Scottish National Party – another of MK’s sister parties in the European Free Alliance – has also achieved a strong showing in the European elections in Scotland. 

The SNP topped the poll with 28.9% of the vote, and MEPs Ian Hughton and Alyn Smith both retained their seat in the European Parliament, though the Party sadly missed out on a third seat which went to UKIP.

SNP Leader and First Minister Alex Salmond described the result as “remarkable” with the SNP “winning another national election after seven years in Government.”

He added: "It is a real vote of confidence in the SNP Government and a result that the Westminster parties would have bitten your arm off for.

"UKIP's performance has shown the real and increasing threat to Scotland's place in the EU that comes from being part of the Westminster system. But in Scotland UKIP have come fourth with only around a third of the vote they got in the rest of the UK, where they won the election, and only around 3% of Scotland's electorate backing them - despite the wall to wall media coverage of UKIP that has been beamed into Scotland.”