Scottish Parliament elections: Labour set for third place as Tories take shock Edinburgh win and SNP dominate

'There are people right across Scotland who are sending the SNP a message - the voices and the decision we made as a country will not be ignored,' says Scottish Tory leader

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson with Labour candidate Sarah Boyack (PA)

The Labour party is braced for a humiliating slump to third place in Scotland after the Conservatives pulled off a shock win in Edinburgh.

Scottish Tory’ leader Ruth Davidson unexpectedly won the Edinburgh Central seat with a huge swing against Labour and the SNP – after her party came in fourth place in 2011.

The result comes as it appeared the Tories may finish up ahead of Labour for overall second place in Scotland, with the race going down to the wire.

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In many other seats the Tories have doubled their vote share – largely at the expense of previously dominant Labour.

Ms Davidson had been expected to be elected by the regional “top-up” list, which the Tories have previously relied on to win Members of the Scottish Parliament.

Visibly ecstatic, she told the election count in Edinburgh’s Highland Hall that voters were “sending a message” to the SNP – who are still expected to win an overwhelming victory and form the next government.

"I feel ready personally, I feel ready to serve as the leader of the official opposition, ready to take on Nicola Sturgeon," she said.

"I think that we'll have a team behind me that can make me confident that we can do a good job.

"There are people right across Scotland who are sending the SNP a message - the voices and the decision we made as a country will not be ignored.

"Nowhere is that more evident than Edinburgh Central, where we were coming from fourth position."

She won 30.4 per cent of the vote – less than a third – in a four-way race. The SNP came narrowly behind on 28.6 percent, Labour on 22.1 per cent, and the Green Party on 13.6 per cent.

The result came minutes after Labour’s leader Kezia Dugdale failed in her bid to be elected to the Edinburgh Eastern seat. She will likely be elected to the Scottish Parliament on the proportional list vote, where she is also standing.

As of 4.45am Labour have lost 11 seats in Scotland – nine to the SNP and two to the Conservatives.

The elections come amid a better than expected result for Labour in the local elections in England. As of the early hours of the morning the party has lost some seats, but not as many as it was expecting to.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party retained key councils in the south of England including Southampton and Harlow.