Jo Swinson loses East Dunbartonshire seat

Ms Swinson, who became party chief earlier this year, has lost her Dunbartonshire East seat to the SNP.

Amy Callaghan gained 19,672 seats to the Lib Dems 19,523 seats. 

Ms Swinson, 39, became her party’s first female leader in a landslide victory over Sir Ed Davey earlier this year, after the lacklustre leaderships of Tim Farron and Sir Vince Cable. 

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said she “will be making further remarks later today” after she lost her seat to the SNP.

Speaking from the count, she said: “Some will be celebrating the wave of nationalism that is sweeping on both sides of the border.

“And I do congratulate all those who are newly elected.

“These are very significant results for the future of our country and I will be making further remarks later today.”

Ms Swinson congratulated her SNP rival Amy Callaghan who won the East Dunbartonshire seat by less than 150 votes.

She said: “It is an amazing job, I’m sure you will love doing it and I wish you well and what you said about young women and smashing boundaries I wholeheartedly agree.”

The Lib Dem leader thanked her family and party for their support.

She said: “I would also like to thank my agent, Liberal Democrat campaigners and activists who have made this campaign special.”

She added: “I particularly would like to thank my mum, my sister Nicola, my husband Duncan and our two darling boys Andrew and Gabriel.”

Speaking ahead of the election Ms Callaghan said: “I am delighted and excited to be the SNP’s candidate for East Dunbartonshire in the upcoming election.

“It’s time for a change and to have an MP that actually lives here and cares about the local issues that affect people in this fantastic constituency."

She also worked for former Scottish Government Minister Dr Aileen McLeod, the recently elected Member of the European Parliament for the SNP.