FORBES: WE HAVE GOT THE MESSAGE

THE SNP will "take on board" the message sent by voters at last week's election but won't change its leader, Kate Forbes has said.

- CHRIS MCCALL

The Deputy First Minister said it was "incumbent" on the party to examine what it needs to do differently after it suffered its worst electoral defeat since 2010.

The SNP was left with just nine MPs after Scottish Labour won stunning gains across the central belt. But Forbes again backed First Minister John Swinney to continue as leader as he had only been in the top job for two weeks when the election was called.