It was a night of no change in Lanark, Lesmahagow and the Clydesdale constituencies

So, after all’s said and done, the fighting and the mudslinging in what has been regarded as one of the most bitter General Elections ever fought, campaigners up and down the country are now either celebrating or drowning their sorrows. But for South Lanarkshire, it’s no change.
Angela Crawleyhas been returned as the MP for Lanark and Hamilton East.Angela Crawleyhas been returned as the MP for Lanark and Hamilton East.
Angela Crawleyhas been returned as the MP for Lanark and Hamilton East.

For some weeks now the polls had been suggesting an SNP and Tory win for these constituencies, so perhaps it’s no real big surprise to see the final results mirroring what was expected.

The SNPs Lisa Cameron held her seat, while Angela Crawley will also be returning to Westminster as the MP for Lanark.

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After the result was declared, Ms Crawley said: “Can I say to every single person who voted SNP, I will not take a single vote for granted.

“I will not take your vote for anything other than a mandate to continue the work that I started four and a half years ago, it has been one of the greatest honours and privileges.”

Mr Hilland congratulated Ms Crawley for winning the seat before criticising his party’s leadership.

He said: “I’d like to thank every single person who put their trust in Labour, it was a difficult election.

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“It was an election fought on Brexit and independence and our party didn’t have a position on either.

“I still believe there is a place for Labour in Scotland and there is a place for a Labour party that fights for social justice and believes in solidarity both within Scotland and the United Kingdom and the European Union.”

Conservative candidate Ms Haslam added: “We increased our vote in this constituency which I think is fantastic on a night like this.

“All credit to Angela Crawley, she ran a great campaign and it’s been the best experience I’ve had in a very long time.”

Full results:

Angela Crawley (SNP) 22,243

Shona Haslam (Con) 17,056

Andrew Hilland (Lab) 10,736

Jane Pickard (LD) 3037

Turnout: 68.3%

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It is an election result that has shocked Britain. The Conservatives have been returned to power with a huge majority, as a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour crumbled at the polls.

In Scotland, the SNP celebrated almost complete domination, while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson lost her seat to the Nationalists.

“We must understand now what an earthquake we have created. The way in which we have changed the political map of this country.

“We have to grapple with the consequences of that, we have to change our own party, we have to rise to the level of events, we must, we just answer the challenge that the British people have given us.”

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The Labour leader vowed to stand down before the next election: “I want to also make it clear that I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign.

“I will discuss with our party to ensure there is a process now of reflection on this result and on the policies that the party will take going forward.

“And I will lead the party during that period to ensure that discussion takes place and we move on into the future.”

The Lib Dem leader, who lost her seat to the SNP, released the following statement: “I am proud that in this campaign, the Liberal Democrats have stood up for openness, generosity and hope. We were honest about what we believe in and what we were trying to achieve.

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“This is clearly a setback for liberal values. But there are millions of people across the country who believe in them. By coming together to fight for them, we can create a positive future.”

After winning 48 seats in Scotland, the SNP leader said her party now have a mandate to hold an independence referendum: “I accept that Boris Johnson after this election has a mandate to take England out of the European Union, but he does not have a mandate to take Scotland out of the European Union.

“And I have a mandate, a renewed, refreshed, strengthened mandate, to offer people in Scotland the choice of a different future.

“It is then up to people in Scotland what choice they make.”