Scottish Election 2016: Nicola Sturgeon promises to work with opposition parties after SNP loses majority

'As a minority administration, I believe the SNP will be forced to listen, to learn and to improve,' says Scottish Conservative Leader Ruth Davidson

Scotland's First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon addresses the media outside Bute House, the official residence of the Scottish First Minister, in Edinburgh. Scottish nationalists won a third term in power but lost their outright majority in one of a series of local and regional elections seen as a key test for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Getty Images)

Scottish Nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon has promised to lead an "open and inclusive" Government and work with other parties after the SNP failed to win a second majority.

The First Minister spoke out after Scottish Tory party leader Ruth Davidson – now the leader of the opposition after the Conservatives won 31 seats in the Scottish Parliament – urged her to scrap plans to hold a second independence referendum.

Speaking at a party event at the Kelpies statues in Falkirk, Ms Sturgeon said: "The government I lead will be open and it will be inclusive. It will be a government that reaches out and strives to find and to build on common ground.

“And I believe there is common ground to be found on education, on the economy, on the environment and I am sure on many other issues.

“That is my commitment, to work above party boundaries in the best interest of our country."

However Ms Sturgeon added that the opposition parties needed to recognise that the SNP had the most support.

"We won the election overwhelmingly, so yes we will compromise where that is in the best interests of our country but we have a clear and unequivocal mandate to implement the manifesto that we fought and won this election on," she said.

"And we have the right to assert the values and positions set out in that manifesto. So the work to build an even better and stronger Scotland begins here today."

The SNP is set to form a minority government after falling short of a majority by just two seats. Ms Sturgeon had declared her intention to push through a second independence referendum if they secured a majority

But Ms Davidson, speaking at an Edinburgh hotel, said: "As she starts her new term of office, I hope Nicola Sturgeon makes it clear that she will now focus entirely on what she was elected to do – lead a devolved administration.

"She should give families and firms the certainty they need. Nicola Sturgeon has it within her power to do that.

"I urge her to start this new parliament by ruling out another referendum."

Ms Sturgeon has ruled out a coalition and hailed the election as an "emphatic win", giving the SNP a "historic" third term in government,

Ms Davidson congratulated the SNP on their victory and stated a minority government was good for democracy and the Scottish people.

"A majority government has not worked well. Too often over the last five years the SNP pushed through its agenda not on the strength of its case, but simply on strength of numbers," she said.

"As a minority administration, I believe the SNP will be forced to listen, to learn and to improve.

"I am very very proud that our performance last night has helped to bring this about."