The SNP candidate for a key Highland seat will not be at Saturday's recount, which was organised following discrepancies in the vote.
It is understood that Drew Hendry, who is representing the new Inverness, Skye and Wester Ross constituency, is travelling to London tomorrow with family and does not intend to change his plans.
His decision not to attend tomorrow's recount in Dingwall will be taken by some as an indication that he has conceded defeat, although he has not said so publicly.
The Liberal Democrats were claiming victory for their candidate, Angus MacDonald, who is said to be 1500 votes ahead of his rival.
The recount means the final General Election result will be delayed until tomorrow although it will not influence Labour's landslide victory.
Former Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch SNP MP Ian Blackford is said to have conceded his party's defeat in the new Highland constituency.
His party are contemplating a bruising General Election defeat in Scotland with 38 seats lost.
It is understood that there was a statistical error in the calculations for the new constituency which could not be reconciled following a recount.
According to a source there were "frequent mistakes" including ballot papers for Liberal Democrat votes placed in the box for Labour.
"There's a lot of questions unanswered in the numbers and everyone in the room was very tired as they expected to finish at 4.30am," he said.
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Jamie Stone has retained the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross seat for the Liberal Democrats in a convincing win in the UK’s most northerly constituency.
He secured more than 22,000 votes compared to the next placed candidates, the SNP’s Lucy Beattie, who tallied, just over 12,000.
In his acceptance speech he paid moving tribute to Charles Kennedy who once represented part of the constituency Mr Stone will now represent in Westminster.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:"The Liberal Democrats have made a huge leap forward and are back as a major force in British politics.
"Across the UK our wins make this the best result since our party was founded, demolishing the blue wall and toppling huge chunks of the acid yellow wall of the SNP.
"Our hopes are high that Angus MacDonald will retake Charles Kennedy's former seat and show that the Liberal Democrats are the strongest voice for the Highlands.
“Our fantastic MPs will be part of a strengthened Liberal Democrat group from across the UK who will focus on giving our nation's carers a fair deal, getting you fast access to GPs and dentists, and stopping sewage dumping in our rivers.
“We have shown that in huge swathes of Scotland we are the ones who can beat the nationalists, deliver the change our country needs and build the fairer future that our country deserves.”
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