Scottish local election counts under way with SNP hoping for big gains

01/05

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Edinburgh Council leader Jenny Dawe (centre, yellow rosette) watches the progress of the count with her coalition partner Steve Cardownie (on her left).

02/05

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Candidates and agents watch the progress of the local election count in Edinburgh.

03/05

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Candidates and agents watch the progress of the local election count in Edinburgh.

04/05

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A diagram of the main stages the electronic count in Edinburgh goes through before a result is announced.

05/05

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Edinburgh local election count under way in the City's Meadowbank sports stadium.

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Scottish local election counting is under way using the complex single transferable vote system, with the SNP hoping to build on their Scottish Parliament election success.

Following Labour’s successes in England and Wales, eyes are now on Scottish local elections to see whether they can continue the trend, or whether north of the border the SNP will be the beneficiaries of voters disaffected with the Westminster coalition government.

The SNP are hoping to cause an upset in Glasgow which traditionally has been an impregnable Labour stronghold, and also to build on their positions in the other main cities of Edinburgh, Dundee, and Aberdeen.

The elections are being held using the complex single transferable vote system of proportional representation, making for a fraught counting process at times.