John Swinney becomes longest serving MSP in Scotland
The Deputy First Minister held off Murdo Fraser of the Conservatives to win the Perthshire North seat
Last updated 7th May 2021
John Swinney's now the longest serving parliamentarian in Scotland after holding off the Conservatives' Murdo Fraser in the Perthshire North constituency.
The Deputy First Minister takes the accolade off his former colleague Roseanna Cunningham, who has retired after more than a quarter of a century in politics.
The Education Secretary finished more than 4,000 votes ahead of his nearest rival on a day the region saw its biggest turnout since it was remodelled in 2011, of nearly 70%.
John Swinney said: "I'm delighted to have been re-elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, to have been returned with an increased majority and an increased gap with ourselves and the Conservatives is a great result at the end of a hard fought election campaign.
"It's very precious for me to takeover from Roseanna Cunningham as the longest serving parliamentarian in Scotland.
"I' was first elected here in 1997. I've served the communities I've represented continuously since then.
"It's a tremendous privilege, the privilege of my life and I will continue to serve all of my constituents without fear or favour in the next parliamentary term."
Mr Swinney's nearest challenger Murdo Fraser will now turn his attention to being elected on the regional list again for Mid Scotland and Fife.
He says he's not disheartened with the outcome.
"This was never a target seat for us. Despite that I have more than 2,500 extra votes compared to 2016," said Mr Fraser.
"I've increased our vote share at a time when turnout was much higher than anyone expected.
"I think they'll the SNP be disappointed they haven't actually won this seat more comfortably and got a bigger majority then us effectively holding their vote where it was from 2016."
Elsewhere in Tayside, former Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick who was sacked in December over Scotland's devastating drug death figures was re-elected in Dundee West, pulling in more than 60% of the votes.
His SNP colleague Mairi Gougeon was also re-elected in Angus North and Mearns.