Election 2015: Scottish Labour leader Murphy loses seat to SNP

Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy has lost his East Renfrewshire seat as a series of high-profile Labour politicians were defeated by the SNP.

Kirsten Oswald defeated Mr Murphy by 23,013 votes to 19,295.

The result saw a 24.2% swing from Labour to the SNP in the constituency, where the SNP had finished fourth at the last general election.

Speaking after his defeat, Mr Murphy said "the fight goes on" and vowed to continue as Scottish Labour leader.

He confirmed his intention to lead his party into the 2016 Holyrood election at a news conference in Glasgow before lunchtime on Friday.

Former shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander and Margaret Curran are among the other Labour politicians to have been ousted by the SNP.

All seven seats in Glasgow went from Labour to the SNP as the nationalists look on course for a landslide general election victory in Scotland.

Ex-Labour MP Ian Davidson, who lost his seat in Glasgow South West, called for Mr Murphy to resign.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, Mr Davidson said the party had lacked inspiration or direction in its campaign.

"Morally, as the man who has led us to the biggest ever disaster that Labour has suffered in Scotland, then of course he can't continue," he said.

"Jim has got to do the honourable thing and resign."

Mr Murphy had held East Renfrewshire for nearly 20 years.

'Progressive policies'

He said it was an "enormous" moment for the SNP, but added: "The fight goes on and our cause continues.

"I know hundreds of thousands of Scots still believe in the progressive policies the Labour party stands for.

"The Scottish Labour Party has been around for more than a century. A hundred years from tonight we will still be around.

"Scotland needs a strong Labour Party and our fightback starts tomorrow morning."

Mhairi Black, aged 20, won Paisley and Renfrewshire South, beating Douglas Alexander

Margaret Curran lost her seat to the SNP's Natalie McGarry

Scottish Conservative Ruth Davidson leader tweeted a tribute to Mr Murphy. She said: "We've had more than our share of differences, but I have to say, that was a wonderfully dignified speech from @JimForScotland"

Student Mhairi Black, 20, beat former government minister Douglas Alexander in Paisley and Renfrewshire South, the seat he had held since 1997.

Mr Alexander said: "This of course has been a very difficult night for Labour.

"Scotland has chosen to oppose this Conservative government, but not place that trust in the Labour party. It will be our responsibility to re-win that trust in the months and years ahead."

Shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran lost her Glasgow East to the SNP.

She said: "It's not a great night for the Labour Party but I will tell you one thing that I absolutely believe, there is great social and economic injustice in Scotland.

"Tonight, I think, has been a clash of nationalisms. To me, the bigger cause, the greater cause, is equality and you will always need a Labour Party to fight that."

In Gordon Brown's former seat, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, which had been the safest Labour seat in Scotland, the SNP overturned a majority of more than 23,000 to defeat Labour candidate Kenny Selbie.

Across Scotland there has been record swings from the SNP to Labour with the biggest - 39.3% - in Glasgow North East. In Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, veteran Labour MP Tom Clarke lost his seat with a swing to the SNP of 36.2%.