Holyrood 2016: Former Scottish leader candidate Ken Macintosh loses seat

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Eastwood count
Image caption,

Labour's Ken Macintosh congratulates new Eastwood MSP Jackson Carlaw

A Scottish Labour politician who had challenged for the leadership of his party has lost his constituency seat to the Conservative Party.

Ken Macintosh had been an MSP for Eastwood since the Scottish Parliament was created in 1999.

He lost out to the Scottish Conservative's Jackson Carlaw.

However, Mr Macintosh - who came third behind the SNP - will return to Holyrood after gaining a seat on the West of Scotland regional list.

Speaking to the BBC's Glen Campbell, he said: "I don't know what to feel - stunned and elated?"

In the summer of last year, Mr Macintosh was beaten by Kezia Dugdale to the leadership of Scottish Labour.

Despite his lengthy service as an MSP, including during Labour's coalition government with the Liberal Democrats from 1999 to 2007, the 54-year-old has never held a front-bench position.

He shadowed the education portfolio during the SNP's first two stints in government, and was most recently Scottish Labour's community spokesman.

Mr Macintosh's defeat comes a year after Labour's Jim Murphy lost the area's Westminster seat to the SNP.