Election 2016: Labour - it's going to be long road back

Labour’s hopes of getting any MSPs in Fife now rest with the list. The first past the post vote appears to have eluded them completely.

Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfermline are expected to go to the SNP, while north-east Fife remains a tight contest between the nationalists and the Lib Dems.

A good night for Labour is now defined as four list MSPs - in that case, Holyrood would beckon for Alex Rowley, deputy leader’ Claire Baker, Cara Hilton and Thomas Docherty.

And for some it’s simply a reality check - another painful night which has to be endured.
Altany Craik drew positives from the night, and the campaign, explaining: ‘‘The opinion polls are never wrong.

‘‘You cannot take a kicking like we have and then turn it round quickly,’’ he said. ‘‘People are speaking to us again, they are listening, and on policy we are winning the arguments.

‘‘We are having those conversations again. They are not quite ready to trust us with their votes but that will come.’’

He reckoned Labour may emerge with up a quartet of list MSPs.

‘‘That’s a good effort from where we were last year,’’ he said.

Kay Morrison, who is standing in Glenrothes, echoed his thoughts.

‘‘The pundits forecast it was going to be a bad night, and it is turning out exactly that,’’ she said,

But despite the results - which have yet to be formally announced - she insisted Labour WAS on the right track.

‘‘‘‘We fought this election on using the powers at the Scottish parliament. We still believe that is the right thing to do. That’s the courageous thing to do.

‘‘It’s the only way we can deliver the quality of services we believe are absolutely crucial for people here.

‘‘We know it is going to be difficult, but we still believe that is the right approach.’’