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Scottish leaders back Hillary Clinton for US president Scotland reacts to Donald Trump victory
(about 11 hours later)
Holyrood leaders backed Hillary Clinton for US president as the race for the White House drew to a close. Scottish political leaders have expressed their shock and disappointment after Donald Trump won a surprise victory in the US election.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she thought the Democrat candidate had the experience, strength and resilience to make a "good president". First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had backed the Democrat candidate, Hillary Clinton, ahead of the vote.
But she insisted the "deep and enduring ties" between Scotland and the US would endure no matter what happened.
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale described the result as "dismal" and "desperate" on Twitter.
And Patrick Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, simply tweeted that it was "sickening".
Speaking as Americans cast their votes in the presidential contest on Tuesday, Ms Sturgeon said she thought Mrs Clinton had the experience, strength and resilience to make a "good president".
She also said the inauguration of the first female US leader could put the "biggest crack to date" in the glass ceiling.She also said the inauguration of the first female US leader could put the "biggest crack to date" in the glass ceiling.
She added that it would send a positive message to women and girls worldwide. But Mr Trump later confounded expectations by winning the contest.
Ms Sturgeon removed the Republican candidate, Donald Trump from a list of Scottish business ambassadors when he suggested Muslims would be stopped from entering the US. As he addressed supporters at a victory rally in New York, Mr Trump said it was "time for us to come together as one united people".
The first minister said the "deep and enduring" ties between Scotland and the US would continue regardless of who wins the presidential election. 'Respect the outcome'
She said: "The ties between Scotland and America are long-standing, they are very deep and they are enduring. Ms Sturgeon removed Mr Trump from a list of Scottish business ambassadors when he suggested Muslims would be stopped from entering the US.
Her predecessor as first minister, Alex Salmond, has previously backed calls for Mr Trump to be banned from the UK.
But Ms Sturgeon insisted: "The ties between Scotland and America are long-standing, they are very deep and they are enduring.
"And whatever the outcome of the election I will respect that outcome and will continue to work to ensure that those relationships, which are not just relationships of family and culture but also very important business and economic relationships, continue to be in good health.""And whatever the outcome of the election I will respect that outcome and will continue to work to ensure that those relationships, which are not just relationships of family and culture but also very important business and economic relationships, continue to be in good health."
She said the Scottish government was "in the business of trying to encourage investment in Scotland", which she said was a "separate matter to the issue of who is elected president of the United States." More than 1,000 students from the University of Edinburgh packed into the city centre to watch the battle for the White House unfold at an event dubbed by organisers as "the largest US election night party in the UK outside of London".
Organised by Edinburgh University North American Society and the Edinburgh Political Union, the sold-out event in Potterrow saw TV screens beaming results live from across the Atlantic with experts from the school of history providing live analysis on the results throughout the night.
The US Consulate General also held an event on Tuesday night at Edinburgh University with hundreds of North American expats attending to watch the results come in.
Susan Wilson, principal officer for the US Consulate General in Edinburgh, said: "Tonight is our night to celebrate democracy in action. It's our night to celebrate the 200 million voting Americans who are making their voices heard.
"It's an exciting time. It's actually one of the most exciting parts of being an American. You really feel alive and more American than ever. Especially when you are mailing that absentee ballot and being a part of your civic responsibility even overseas."
'Desperate day'
Also at the event was Scottish Labour leader, Kezia Dugale, who had thrown her support behind Mrs Clinton.
Speaking ahead of the final result, Ms Dugdale, said: "I've been worried about it for months because I desperately want to see a progressive Democrat being leader of the free world, and it does matter who is the president of the United States, particularly in the world that we live in just now."
Once the outcome became clear, Ms Dugdale tweeted: "Cannot believe my eyes - what a dismal desperate day".
Patrick Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, simply tweeted: "Sickening".
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said much of the world had a "deep sense of unease" about the contenders to replace Barack Obama.Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said much of the world had a "deep sense of unease" about the contenders to replace Barack Obama.
But she said Mrs Clinton had "more experience and a better temperament for the top job".But she said Mrs Clinton had "more experience and a better temperament for the top job".
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has been actively campaigning for Hillary Clinton and against what she called "Trump's poison" in Scotland and on a recent visit to the United States. These endorsements of Mrs Clinton could backfire once Mr Trump formally become president, according to Fiona Hill, an analyst at the Brookings think tank in Washington.
These endorsements may pay dividends if Mrs Clinton wins the presidency but could backfire if Mr Trump is victorious. She said: "It might actually matter because Donald Trump does take things quite personally.
Scottish politics "He's made it quite clear that when he has a rift on a personal and business level that he's quite serious about responding."
Fiona Hill, an analyst at the Brookings think tank in Washington, said "it might actually matter because Donald Trump does take things quite personally".
"He's made it quite clear that when he has a rift on a personal and business level that he's quite serious about responding," she said.
Both contenders have become actively involved in Scottish politics in recent years.Both contenders have become actively involved in Scottish politics in recent years.
Global issues
Donald Trump unsuccessfully challenged SNP ministers in court over their decision to approve an offshore wind farm near his Aberdeenshire golf course.Donald Trump unsuccessfully challenged SNP ministers in court over their decision to approve an offshore wind farm near his Aberdeenshire golf course.
And as US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton urged the Scottish government not to release the Lockerbie bomber from prison.And as US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton urged the Scottish government not to release the Lockerbie bomber from prison.
She also publicly opposed Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.She also publicly opposed Scottish independence during the 2014 referendum.
The former US assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Volker, doubted that these past concerns would feature prominently in the new president's thinking.The former US assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Volker, doubted that these past concerns would feature prominently in the new president's thinking.
Whether Trump or Clinton wins, he said the focus would be on global issues including Russia, the economy, Islamic State and forging a new relationship with the UK after Brexit. He said that regardless of who won, the focus would be on global issues including Russia, the economy, Islamic State and forging a new relationship with the UK after Brexit.
Mr Volker also said President Obama had been wrong to warn that if the UK left the EU it would be at the "back of the queue" for a trade deal with the US.Mr Volker also said President Obama had been wrong to warn that if the UK left the EU it would be at the "back of the queue" for a trade deal with the US.
"There's no appetite for trying to penalise the UK" he said."There's no appetite for trying to penalise the UK" he said.