The Highlands and Islands Regional list has finally been declared after a 17 hour wait that saw many candidates leave rather than wait to find out if they were to become MSPs.
The count eventually delivered some seismic results with Reform UK getting their first two seats in the region and the Greens getting two – up one on their last showing.
The Conservative tally saw them return just one MSP to Holyrood while Morven-May Maccallum became the LibDems third MSP from the Highland mainland to be elected.
Government minister Maree Todd was elected in seventh place after earlier losing the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat to the LibDems’ David Green.
Ultimately the result meant that Labour did not return a single regional MSP as Reform UK drew level with both parties securing 17 MSPs.
The Greens rose to 15 becoming the third largest party, up six on 2021, the Tories dropped 19 going down to 12 seats.
The Liberal Democrats rose by six seats to reach 10 in all.
The full results are as follows:
1. Vic Currie – Reform UK
2. Arianne Burgess – Scottish Greens
3. Tim Eagle – Scottish Conservatives
4. Max Bannerman – Reform UK
5. Morven-May Maccallum – Scottish Liberal Democrats
6. Kristopher Leask – Scottish Greens
7. Maree Todd – SNP
But there will definitely be questions asked about the lengthy count that took more than 17 hours to deliver the results.
The count started in Inverness at 9am and concluded after 1am in what was seen by many still at the count as another embarrassment for the Highlands.
It means the Highlands and Islands regional list was the last result in Scotland to be declared – in an echo of what happened in the 2024 general election.
