Tensions flared last night as the SNP’s Kevin Stewart stormed to victory to retain his Aberdeen Central seat.
Mr Stewart snatched the constituency from Labour in 2011, and increased his majority by more than 1,000 this time round.
He received a total of 11,648 votes, comfortably holding off competition from Labour’s Lewis Macdonald, who received 7,299.
Tory candidate Tom Mason received 6,022 votes, while Liberal Democrat Ken McLeod finished fourth on 1,735.
But hopes of a bounce in voter turn-out following the 2014 independence referendum proved unfounded, with just 46.93% bothering to turn out, up 3% from the last Holyrood election.
Much of the tempestuous campaign had revolved around guaranteeing a major trauma centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Mr Macdonald had based much of his drive to regain the seat on his pledge, but just 48 hours before the polling stations opened, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon personally guaranteed the centre under an incoming SNP government.
But after the results were announced at the Robert Gordon University this morning, Mr Macdonald used his speech to claim victory for forcing a Government U-turn.
This was met with much ire from SNP activists who booed, and even Aberdeen South MP Calum McCaig shouted out.
Mr Stewart said: “My pledge to the people of Aberdeen Central is that we will continue to do our very best for them and ensure we continue to get the investment in this area that we need and that we deserve.”
Mr Macdonald said he was “disappointed” at the result but claimed the party’s real victory was forcing Ms Sturgeon to make a commitment on a trauma centre for Aberdeen.
And he criticised the SNP members who had booed him during his speech.
He said: “We will not take for granted Nicola Sturgeon’s pledge for a trauma centre but I am delighted there has been a meaningful commitment made to the people of Aberdeen.
“I think you saw what happened when I praised the doctors and staff at ARI and I was booed.”
