Kezia Dugdale says general election shows "Scottish Labour is back”

Kezia Dugdale - image credit: Iain Gray MSP

Kezia Dugdale has hailed Scottish Labour’s general election performance as proof “Scottish Labour is back”.

Scottish Labour won seven seats across Scotland, two years after losing 40 out of 41 seats at the 2015 general election.

Across the UK the party exceeded expectations, with Jeremy Corbyn taking 261 seats as the Conservative party lost its majority.

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Ian Murray retained his constituency in Edinburgh South, winning the largest parliamentary majority in Scotland, while the party won East Lothian, Glasgow North East, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, Midlothian, Rutherglen and Hamilton West and Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “This was a stunning General Election result that proves Scottish Labour is back.

“Just two years after we were nearly wiped out in Scotland, we have staged a remarkable recovery and overturned some gigantic SNP majorities, and pushed the Nationalists incredibly close in many seats.

“I am incredibly proud of the campaign we ran in Scotland, which focused on our belief that together we’re stronger with Scotland as part of the UK, coupled with Jeremy Corbyn’s positive vision of a country for the many, not the few.

“We now have seven MPs from diverse backgrounds who will do a fantastic job standing up for their constituents in Westminster.

“Theresa May has gambled and lost spectacularly and she should now resign as Prime Minister - and Ruth Davidson should tell her that.

“As for the SNP, this was a catastrophic result and is the final nail in the coffin for Nicola Sturgeon’s plans for a divisive second independence referendum. She must now immediately abandon that plan and get back to the day job of running our schools and hospitals.”

Around a quarter of Labour’s gains across the UK were in Scotland.