Labour's Scotland surge could put 'nail in coffin' of second independence vote

Labour’s electoral surge could put paid to any chance Scotland has of having a second vote on independence, it has been claimed.

The Scottish National Party lost 21 seats at Westminster on a bad night at the polls.

Although it remains the largest party in Scotland with 35 seats, its political dominance has been threatened.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has conceded her plans for a second vote on independence were “undoubtedly” a factor.

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“Undoubtedly the issue of an independence referendum was a factor in this election result, but I think there were other factors in this election result as well,” she said.

Strugeon said the SNP would now “play its part in finding the right way forward for the whole of the UK”, hinting that the party would open talks to form a Westminster progressive coalition.

“It is needed more than ever,” she said.

Bur she said she would not rush into a decisions.

“I have now gone 36 hours without sleep and I don’t think those are the conditions to rush to judgments or decisions.”

Labour MP Ian Murray, who was reelected to the Edinburgh South seat said the results “hammered the final nail in that coffin” of a second independence referendum.

In a dramatic night, senior nationalists were ousted from the House of Commons – with former first minister Alex Salmond – the “big beast” of the SNP beaten.

Sturgeon on Friday called Salmond “a giant of modern Scottish politics”.

Also ousted was SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson.

The Scottish Tories had their best result in a General Election for more than three decades.

And it could have been even worse.

Stephen Gethins’ re-election as the SNP MP for North East Fife was won with tightest of margins – just taking just two votes more than Lib Dem candidate Elizabeth Riches.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Gethins paid tribute to his wife, who gave birth to baby Patrick during the election campaign.

He later quipped online: “If you’ll all excuse me now, I’d like to introduce myself to my new-born son!”

Scotland voted narrowly to remain as part of the United Kingdom in a referendum in 2014.