THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE movement did not win the argument for the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the northern country of the United Kingdom as the party suffered heavy losses.

The Scottish Labour party, in comparison, tore across the country’s central belt – mirroring the success of Labour UK-wide – sweeping the SNP out of strongholds such as Glasgow and Edinburgh.

While Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, said he is “absolutely delighted” with his party’s performance First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney pledged a period of “soul searching” after what he described as a “very poor” performance for his party.

The SNP did beat outgoing Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, but it was one of just a handful of victories.

“It’s a very poor result for the SNP tonight,” Swinney told the BBC.

The SNP did beat outgoing Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, but it was one of just a handful of victories.

“There will have to be a lot of soul searching as a party as a consequence of these results that have come in tonight,” the party’s leader said.

The writing was on the wall for the Scottish Nationalists very early into the count, with the Ipsos exit poll revealing that party were in for a beating against Labour.

Swinny said the SNP has to be “better at governing on behalf of the people of Scotland”, adding the party is not winning the argument on Scottish independence.

He said: “Although we’re going to have a bad election result tonight, I still believe in my head and in my heart that Scotland will be better off as an independent country.”

Sarwar said the First Minister “has got a lot of reflecting to do on a lot of things” after the party’s dismal performance.

“He spent the entire six weeks attacking the Labour Party because it seems the only person more depressed at the thought of the Tory Government ending and the Labour government was John Swinney and the SNP,” he said.

“You can see the verdict of the Scottish people, both to his approach in this election campaign but also the SNP’s approach to Government, where they have failed far too many people,” he added.

- Additional reporting by Muiris O’Cearbhaill