The SNP lost a series of ministerial scalps yesterday, dashing its hopes of winning a Holyrood majority.
The Nationalists had been banking on gaining outright control of Holyrood to begin pushing for a second referendum on ‘day one’ of a fifth SNP term.
But, despite winning enough MSPs to the biggest party at Holyrood, they fell seven short of the critical 65-seat threshold as party stalwarts tumbled.
Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson was the biggest casualty, as he was beaten into a humiliating third place in Edinburgh Central by Lorna Slater in the first ever constituency win for the Greens.
Dubbed ‘Airmiles Angus’ for his many overseas trips, the former SNP deputy leader was the only one of seven SNP cabinet secretaries standing not to be re-elected.
His loss took on a surreal note at the count, as he found himself standing next to a fringe candidate dressed as a giant gannet.
Two lower-level SNP ministers also lost their seats. In Glasgow Southside, previously held by Nicola Sturgeon, equalities minister Kaukab Stewart lost to Green Holly Bruce.
Drug and alcohol policy minister Maree Todd lost in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross to the Liberal Democrats but was returned late last night on the regional list. With John Swinney’s plan of winning 65 seat relying on the party holding all of the 62 constituencies it won in 2021, the loss of the ministers was fatal.
Mr Swinney last night insisted his party had won an ‘emphatic’ victory, despite going backwards on vote share.
Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson was the biggest SNP casualty
He said: ‘Once again the people of Scotland have put their trust in us. However you voted today, I promise that I will be a First Minister for all of Scotland.
‘I give you my commitment that I will work every day to improve your life and make Scotland the nation we know it can be.’
The First Minister’s decision to put winning a majority at the heart of his campaign risks painting him into a corner, as he cannot claim an unambiguous mandate for the referendum Bill and constitutional convention he had planned for the first 100 days after the election.
But former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who was yesterday elected MSP for Aberdeen Donside, last night argued the SNP should push for a referendum regardless.
He said: ‘The SNP have always and will always campaign for an independent Scotland. We believe that we should have the right to determine our own democratic future, and that doesn’t change.’
It means Mr Swinney could find himself at odds with Mr Flynn, tipped as a future SNP leader, if he parked independence.
The SNP also lost the Western Isles to Labour in a surprise upset. One consolation for the Nationalists was a hard-fought win in the Shetlands Islands.
Former oil industry worker Hannah Mary Goodlad became the first politician other than a Liberal or Liberal Democrat to represent the seat in almost 80 years.
She called her win a ‘brand new chapter for Scotland’.
Former Nationalist MP Kirsten Oswald took Eastwood from former Tory leader Jackson Carlaw.
Mr Swinney predicted earlier this week that Mr Robertson, who also lost his seat at the 2017 general election, would remain as an MSP. Mr Swinney said: ‘Angus has been a very close colleague and a minister and friend of mine.
‘I’m very sorry he won’t be joining us in the Scottish parliament.’ Ms Slater, a former co-leader of the Scottish Greens and Scottish Government minister, won with a majority of 4,582 over Labour’s James Dalgleish, with Mr Robertson trailing in almost 400 votes behind.
Rival parties said his failure to hold regular face-to-face constituency surgeries had been a factor in his defeat.
Former Nationalist MP Joanna Cherry, KC, who was blocked from becoming the Edinburgh Central candidate in 2021 to clear the way for Mr Robertson, said his defeat was ‘shocking’.
She told the BBC: ‘There’s a great disaffection in the SNP central branch – a great feeling that Angus wasn’t really doing anything to advance the cause of independence.’
In a polished concession speech which suggested he had seen defeat coming, Mr Robertson said the win for a fellow ‘progressive’ was a small consolation for him.
He said: ‘We dust ourselves down, we pick ourselves up, and we keep going. I’m confident the Scottish parliament will again have a majority of members committed to Scotland’s right to choose its future as an independent country.
‘In the meantime, there is a bright silver lining to today’s result for me, which is I will have more time to spend with my wife and daughters.’