General Election: Kirkcaldy to get new MP as Jenny Gilruth reflects on exit polls

It was one of their target seats in the General Election having lost it in 2015 and again in 2019.

Neale Hanvey, who won the seat as an independent and then joined Alba Party, has come close to indicating that his time as MP is up.

He said he had run a positive campaign and had “a lot of encouraging support” but pointed to the national picture which showed significant movement to Labour.

“Two governments have let their supporters down, and they are looking somewhere else to force change,” he said. “Labour is the most obvious place to show that dissatisfaction. They are attracting voters by not being the other guys rather than by being inspirational. Change is not progress. It is just something different.”

Elsewhere in Fife, Glenrothes has been hailed as a tight race between the SNP’s John Beare and Labour’s Richard Baker. SNP politicians said it was too close to call, while some hinted the constituency might just make it on to their list of red gains.

As the national picture started to emerge, senior political figures in Fife also gave their assessment of the night so far.

Jenny Gilruth, SNP, admitted: “If the exit polls are to be believed that would be challenging for the SNP and we would have to reflect on it - but this election has not been about independence, and all about removing Tories from Government.

“We have also faced very public internal challenges but we are united behind John Swinney who put forward a very strong message to people. He only came in a few weeks before this election was called and has done an outstanding job in this campajgn leading the party with a positive message.”

Willie Rennie MSP admitted it was looking like being a very good night for the Lib Dems.While his focus remained North East Fife - where Wendy Chamberlain is bidding to hold the seat for a second term - he welcomed the party’s resurgence across the UK.

“We have run a very positive campaign,” he said. “There has been a fantastic fight back down south and south west. We are moving on from our coalition period, we have learned lessons. People are returning to us in significant numbers because we have had a very positive campaign with a very positive message.”

He also said he had “never felt anger like it towards the SNP like I have in this campaign. Similar to 2017 when Sturgeon over-egged the aftermath of Brexit and there has a backlash. The shine has come off their party.”