Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Labour stages a comeback in Scotland

Labour party overturned more than a decade of SNP domination by winning a majority of Scottish seats as it rode to power in Westminster

Labour stages a comeback in Scotland

SCOTLAND'S pro-separatist Scottish National Party was virtually wiped out at the UK general election on Friday, suffering a devastating blow to its withering independence movement.

Keir Starmer's Labour party overturned more than a decade of SNP domination by winning a majority of Scottish seats as it rode to power in Westminster.


The SNP lost dozens of MPs as it headed for its worst result in a British general election since 2010, with senior MP Stephen Flynn, who held his seat, lamenting a "black night" for his party.

Labour sealed its comeback in its former heartland when it passed the 29-seat threshold to become the largest party in the country shortly after 5:30 am (0430 GMT).

A BBC exit poll predicted that the SNP would win only eight constituencies in Scotland, down from the 48 it won at the last election in 2019, when Labour returned just one Scottish MP.

The crushing loss means the SNP will lose its position as Britain's third-biggest party, which brings a high-profile slot during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in parliament.

It will also lose out on public funding and key positions on parliamentary select committees.

"There will have to be a lot of soul-searching as a party as a consequence of these results that have come in tonight," SNP leader John Swinney admitted to the BBC.

Ex-SNP leader and former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said the prediction was "at the grimmer end of the expectations" for her party, which had been tipped to endure a chastening performance.

"This is seismic for Labour. There's no getting away from that, it's a massive achievement for Keir Starmer," she said, as Labour was tipped to win 410 seats and secure a majority of 170 in Britain as a whole.

Finance scandal

The SNP has dominated in Scotland in the last three UK elections, peaking with the 2015 vote when it won 56 seats out of 59 seats. In 2010, it got only six seats.

But the party has been under pressure from the resurgence of Labour in its former fiefdom north of the English border, as it rides a wave of displeasure against the Tories nationwide.

The SNP was overtaken by the centrist Liberal Democrats in party size and fighting to stop Nigel Farage's right-wing upstarts Reform UK from pushing it down to fifth position at Westminster.

The SNP has been in turmoil for months as voters tire of its 17 years in charge of the devolved Scottish parliament in Edinburgh.

Critics have also accused it of focusing on independence at the expense of key issues such as the cost-of-living crisis, education and health.

Support for the SNP has also slumped amid a finances scandal that saw Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, charged with embezzlement. Murrell is the party's former chief executive.

Sturgeon herself was arrested, but released without charge.

Swinney only took charge in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf after the collapse of the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens in Edinburgh.

Yousaf was in power for just over a year.

Swinney had pledged to push for fresh talks on another independence referendum if the SNP had won a majority of seats in Thursday's vote.

Labour and the Conservatives insist the issue was dealt with at the 2014 referendum when 55 percent of voters in Scotland opted to remain part of the UK.

Despite the SNP's slump, the number of Scots favouring independence has held at around 40 percent, according to surveys, providing the SNP with some solace. (AFP)

More For You

Minouche Shafik

Shafik served as deputy governor for markets and banking at the Bank of England between August 2014 and February 2017.

Reuters

Starmer appoints Minouche Shafik as chief economic adviser in reshuffle

Highlights:

  • Minouche Shafik named chief economic adviser to Keir Starmer.
  • Darren Jones moves into Downing Street role; James Murray replaces him.
  • Wider reshuffle includes changes in Starmer’s private office and communications.
  • Appointment comes ahead of a budget expected to include further tax rises.

Prime minister Keir Starmer has named Minouche Shafik, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as his chief economic adviser. The appointment comes as he looks to strengthen his team ahead of what is expected to be a difficult end to the year.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi putin

Before their formal meeting, Putin offered Modi a ride in his Aurus limousine.

X/@narendramodi

Six key takeaways from the SCO summit

INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi met Russian president Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China.

Modi pressed for ending the Ukraine conflict at the earliest, reaffirmed India’s long-standing ties with Russia, and discussed trade and border issues with Xi.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghanistan earthquake

Afghan volunteers and Taliban security personnel carry an earthquake victim evacuated by a military helicopter from the Nurgal district of Kunar province onn September 1, 2025.

Getty Images

Afghanistan earthquake kills more than 800, thousands injured

A MAJOR rescue operation was underway in Afghanistan on Monday after a powerful earthquake and several aftershocks destroyed homes in a remote mountainous region, killing more than 800 people, according to Taliban authorities.

The quake struck just before midnight and was felt as far as Kabul and in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ganpati festival

The Ganpati festival celebrates Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, and the god of wisdom and intelligence. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Hindu community centre in London damaged in fire after Ganapati Visarjan event

A HINDU community centre in east London caught fire on Saturday evening, causing major damage to the building. The London Fire Brigade brought the fire under control and confirmed that no injuries were reported.

The incident took place at the Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community Centre on Cleveland Road in Ilford, which had been decorated for a Ganapati Visarjan event attended by members of the Hindu community.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi ,Xi & Putin

Narendra Modi talks with Vladimir Putin and Xi jinping ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 at the Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in Tianjin on September 1, 2025.

Getty Images

SCO declaration slams Pahalgam attack, calls for united action on terror

Highlights:

  • SCO condemns terror attack in Pahalgam and echoes India’s stance on “double standards”.
  • Leaders call for justice for perpetrators of attacks in Pahalgam and Balochistan.
  • Declaration criticises Israeli military strikes in Gaza causing civilian casualties.
  • SCO stresses UN’s central role in global counter-terrorism strategy.

THE SHANGHAI Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and agreed with India’s position that “double standards” in tackling terrorism are not acceptable.

Keep ReadingShow less