Sturgeon: votes for SNP ‘were not votes for independence’

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said she does not regard last night’s huge gains for the SNP across Scotland as backing for independence.

The SNP gained 50 seats overnight, taking the party’s tally of MPs to 56.

But she hailed the result as “an overwhelming vote for change in Scotland”, and pledged to push for more powers to be handed to Holyrood.

“This election wasn’t about independence. I don’t take any of the votes that were cast for the SNP yesterday as votes for independence,” she said. “They were votes to make Scotland’s voice be heard more loudly.”