THE SNP were the big winners in East Renfrewshire as results of the European elections were announced.

Nationalists gained 33.6 per cent of the votes in the Barrhead area – up by almost 11 per cent compared to their performance in the 2014 ballot.

The Conservatives were in second place with 17.4 per cent of the vote, down by more than 10 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats close behind in third place on 16.2 per cent, which saw their share rise by more than 12 per cent.

The Brexit Party, with almost 12 per cent of the votes, secured fourth spot, leaving Labour languishing in fifth place with just 8.4 per cent – down by 18 per cent compared to 2014.

The Green Party won 7.6 per cent of the votes, followed by Change UK (2.9 per cent), UKIP (1.2 per cent) and Independent candidates Gordon Edgar (0.5 per cent) and Ken Parke (0.2 per cent).

A total of 33,932 votes were cast in East Renfrewshire, representing a turnout of 48 per cent.

Barrhead’s MSP Tom Arthur described the result as a “terrific victory for the SNP in East Renfrewshire” and praised local activists for a “brilliant” campaign.

He said: “Thank you to voters in East Renfrewshire for backing the SNP.”

Across Scotland as a whole, the SNP increased its number of MEPs from two to three amid a collapse in support for Labour.

The SNP secured almost 38 per cent of the vote, up from 29 per cent in the last EU election.

The Brexit Party secured second place with almost 15 per cent, earning them one seat. The Lib Dems (13.8 per cent) and Tories (11.6 per cent) also won a seat each.

Labour came fifth with less than 10 per cent of the vote and lost both of its MEPs in Scotland.

All 28 European Union member states have elected MEPs.

Voters across the UK chose a total of 73 MEPs in 12 multi-member regional constituencies, with Scotland classed as a single constituency electing six MEPs.

Successful candidates are elected in order as listed by their party, based on the parties’ total share of the vote in each region.

The six MEPs who will represent Scotland are the SNP’s Alyn Smith, Christian Allard and Aileen McLeod; Louis Stedman-Bryce, of the Brexit Party; Sheila Ritchie, of the Liberal Democrats; and Baroness Nosheena Mobarik, of the Conservatives.

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