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Votes 'discrepancy' delays Highland result until Saturday

BBC SNP's Drew Hendry and Deputy First Minister Kate ForbesBBC
SNP candidate Drew Hendry chats with SNP MSP and Scotland's deputy first minister Kate Forbes during the count in Dingwall

The result of the ballot in a Highland constituency has been delayed until Saturday.

The outcome in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire had been expected at about 05:00, but just before 10:00 candidates were told the votes would need to be recounted for a second time.

Returning officer Derek Brown said there was a discrepancy between the verified votes total and the provisional number of counted votes.

The candidates - including the SNP's Drew Hendry who has been an MP in the area since 2015 - have been told to return to the counting centre in Dingwall at 10:30 on Saturday.

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Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire result is one of the few constituencies in the UK still to be declared.

Mr Brown said: "During the formal checking of the totals for the Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire constituency count a discrepancy was identified between the verified votes total and the provisional number of counted votes.

"An accountancy check was carried out along with a visual check that did not resolve the discrepancy.

"A recount was then implemented to reconcile the difference between the totals."

Mr Brown said the recount had not resolved the issue and second recount would be needed on Saturday.

He added: "Candidates and agents have been informed at each stage of the count."

Elsewhere in the Highlands and Islands, long-standing Lib Dem Jamie Stone was returned to Westminster with a majority of more than 10,000.

He got 22,736 votes - almost 50% of ballots cast in Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

The SNP's Brendan O'Hara retained the new-look enlarged constituency of Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber with a majority of more than 6,000.

Former Moray Council leader Graham Leadbetter secured Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey for the SNP.

Labour's Torcuil Crichton won the Western Isles seat Na h-Eileanan an Iar with an almost 50% share of the votes.

Angus MacNeil, who held the seat for 19 years, finished third and the SNP's candidate Susan Thomson was second.