EU Election result: Edinburgh rejects Brexit as Nigel Farage triumphs across UK

PRO-REMAIN parties took the lion’s share of the European election votes in Edinburgh.

The SNP secured the most votes – 57,432 – with the Lib Dems second – 39,609 – and the Greens third on 23,868.

The Tories outpolled the Brexit Party in the Capital by 17,222 to 16,162 while Labour got just 12,251.

Just over half of all eligible voters in Edinburgh took part in the election. Turnout for the city as a whole was 50.2 per cent – the highest in 
Scotland.

Ballot papers are counted during the European Parliamentary elections count at the International Conference Centre in Edinburgh. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Edinburgh South saw the biggest turnout in the Capital at 54.7 per cent. It was 51.6 per cent in Edinburgh North & Leith, 50 per cent in West, 47.9 per cent in South West and 47 per cent in East.

SNP council leader Adam McVey said Edinburgh has delivered “an incredibly strong Remain vote”.

Lib Dem councillor Kevin Lang was delighted his party had the second highest vote total in the city.

“Lib Dems are back in business right across Edinburgh,” he said.

Across the UK the Brexit Party swept to an emphatic victory, while Scots delivered another dramatic poll triumph for the SNP.

Nigel Farage’s newly-formed party looked set to capture a seat in Scotland, but it was the Nationalists who won a commanding victory north of the Border where parties opposing Brexit were on course for a majority.

A bruising night for the Conservatives and Labour saw both parties suffer major losses as the British public delivered a damning verdict of their handling of the constitutional crisis that has engulfed UK politics.

The Liberal Democrats, who have campaigned for a second referendum, were poised to claim second place UK-wide, indicating that the polarisation across British politics over “Remain” and “Leave” remains as strong as ever.

Louis Stedman-Bruce looked set to seize a seat north of the Border for Mr Farage’s party backing a “No Deal” departure from the EU and it was primed for widespread gains.

The SNP, which came out on top as expected with around 40 per cent of the early votes, saw the party’s Alyn Smith and Christian Allard heading to Brussels as MEPs.

Mr Smith said last night: “Scotland’s a different country. We’ve got a different view of how we see our place in the world.”

Scots voted 62 per cent in favour of staying in the EU in the 2016 referendum but the weight of votes south of the Border swung the outcome in favour of Leave.

The three other Scottish seats remained up for grabs as results were being counted last night with the SNP in the running for an unprecedented third seat.

The first seats declared on the night saw former Scottish Tory MSP Brian Monteith win a seat in the north-east of England for the Brexit Party, which took two seats in the region, while Labour took one seat. The Brexit Party’s 39 per cent share of the vote was double the 19 per cent racked up by Labour.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry blamed the lack of clarity about the party’s position on Brexit for its poor showing.