Updated: May 7, 2021, 12:50 pm
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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie is feeling relaxed as the North East Fife count continues in Glenrothes.
Mr Rennie, who has held the seat since 2016, said polling suggested a positive result for him but he also urged caution.
“This is the most nerve-racking moment for all candidates,” he said.
“We know inside is determining whether I’ve got a job in a few hours time.
AS far as political drama goes, it was a day that saved the best for last. The results started slow and then built to a dramatic climax in what was Scotland s most marginal constituency. Dumbarton, held by Labour s Jackie Baillie with a tiny majority of just 109 in 2016, was one of the SNP s top targets going into the election. Nicola Sturgeon s hopes of an overall majority depend largely on a handful of opposition-held seats with slim majorities, and they didn t come any slimmer than this. Speaking to broadcasters, Ms Baillie had called the result too close to call , while rumours of recounts filled social media.
07/05/2021, 7:06 pm
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has held on to his North East Fife seat, doubling his majority in the process.
He described the result as a great honour, adding: “I was born and brought up in North East Fife and to be re-elected as its MSP is such a privilege.
“It’s also a responsibility, to make sure I stick up for them in parliament and do the work locally for them as well.”
Willie Rennie.
Mr Rennie put his success down to his party’s “positive message” throughout the campaign.
“It was about putting recovery first and making sure we cut mental health waiting times – a lot of people struggle with that,” he said.
Submitting.
You can check which constituency you live in on the Local Government Boundary Commission website.
What happened last time?
Save for a five-year spell between 2011 and 2016, North East Fife has been a one of the Scottish Parliament s few Liberal Democrat strongholds. Incumbent MSP and Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie snatched the seat from the SNP s Roderick Campbell five years ago.
That momentum carried on into 2019 s General Election, which saw Lib Dem Wendy Chamberlain take the Westminster North East FIfe seat from the SNP s Stephen Gethins after he scored two successive victories in 2015 and 2017.
Voters go to the polls on Thursday
And they include two in Glasgow North East in Springburn and Dennistoun. In Glasgow North East - one of the most deprived constituencies in the UK - it means the number of any bank branch will be cut from eight to just one. The TSB is closing the Dennistoun and Springburn branches leaving leaving no banks in the immediate area. The only remaining branch in the constituency would be the Bank of Scotland in Riddrie (below). Carol Monaghan, MP for neighbouring Glasgow North West, has campaigned against the decision to shut three branches in Anniesland, Drumchapel, and Partick but says it has fallen on deaf ears.