The Liberal Democrats have won back Charles Kennedy's constituency nine years after losing it to the SNP. 

Angus MacDonald won the constituency with a majority of 2,160 votes. 

A lengthy recount meant it was the last constituency in the UK to be declared.

 READ MORE: Keir Starmer to meet with John Swinney

Mr MacDonald won 18,159 votes, while the SNP's Drew Hendry took 15,999.

Labour was on a distant third on 6,246, while Reform took 2,934, the Tories 2,502 and the Greens 2,038.

The recount was ordered after Returning Officer Derek Brown said there was a discrepancy between the verified votes total and the provisional number of counted votes.

It is not clear how many votes had gone missing.

The new constituency takes in a sizeable portion of what was Mr Kennedy's Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency. 

He lost it to Ian Blackford in 2015 after an ugly election campaign marred by allegations of bullying by the SNP. He died from a haemorrhage linked to alcoholism less than a month later.

 

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "My heart is in the highlands today. The Liberal Democrats were all but wiped out in 2015, but that wasn’t the worst thing to happen to us that year. Weeks later we lost Charles Kennedy.

"That the final act of this general election should see his old seat returned to Lib Dem hands and the care of Angus MacDonald is simply wonderful.

"I'm overjoyed that Angus has become the sensational sixth Scottish Liberal Democrat MP."

READ MORE: Angus MacDonald vows to reclaim Ian Blackford's Highland seat

"Angus has shown that the Liberal Democrats are the strongest voice for the Highlands. He will focus on what really matters, such as getting you NHS care close to home, improving dangerous roads and fighting for a fair deal for the Highlands.

“Millions of people have voted for change and put their trust in us, so our job now is to repay it in full and be their local champions."

Mr MacDonald's election means the UK party now has 72 MPs.