Alex Salmond loses seat: Conservatives oust former SNP leader and Scottish First Minister from Gordon consituency

Gordon, in north east Scotland, swung 20.4 per cent from the SNP to the Conservatives

Alex Salmond has lost his Gordon seat to the Conservatives.

Colin Clark beat the former Scottish first minister and SNP veteran into second place with a majority of 2,607.

Mr Salmond, who took 35.9 per cent of the vote, said no one had expected a repeat of the SNP's 56-seat win in 2015 but the result would still be a victory for the party.

Former Councillor Mr Clark won 40.7 per cent of the vote.

Gordon, in north east Scotland, swung 20.4 per cent from the SNP to the Conservatives, with a turnout of 68.4 per cent.

Exit polls suggest the UK is heading for a hung parliament. The Tories are predicted to emerge as the largest party with 314 seats, a loss of 17 seats, with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour on 266, a gain of 34.

As leader of the party that seems very likely to win the most seats, Ms May will have the first opportunity to form a government.

However, should she prove unable to pass key legislation such as a budget or Queen's Speech, Mr Corbyn could be asked by the Queen to attempt to form a government in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, SNP and Greens.

Mr Salmond was elected to the seat in 2015, ending decades of Liberal Democrat rule by deputy party leader Sir Malcolm Bruce who stood down ahead of the election.

The 62-year-old became leader of of the SNP for the first time in 1990 and remained at the helm in 1997 when the SNP increased its tally of MPs to six and played a key part in the successful campaign for a new Scottish Parliament.

The first Holyrood election took place in 1999, with Mr Salmond becoming Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Banff and Buchan.

He stood down as SNP leader in 2000 and left the Scottish Parliament the following year, and despite refuting speculation he would return to the top job, saying - “If nominated, I'll decline; if drafted, I'll defer; and if elected, I'll resign” - he stood on a joint ticket with Nicola Sturgeon marking the start of a decade-long partnership.

In 2007, he returned to Holyrood as MSP for Gordon and the new first minister, a position he held for seven years making him the longest serving.

Four year later, his party won an unprecedented overall majority at Holyrood and secured a referendum on the long-held SNP dream of Scottish independence.