The Scottish National Party will form Scotland's first ever majority government after a stunning election victory.

The party has reached 65 seats in the 129-seat parliament, with some counts still to declare, taking key seats in Labour heartlands.

The Liberal Democrat vote also collapsed, with the party returning four MSPs so far.

The SNP now has enough Holyrood votes to hold an independence referendum.

Labour leader Iain Gray announced he would stand down from the job in the autumn.

SNP leader Alex Salmond, whose party formed a minority government after the 2007 elections, described the unfolding Holyrood election results as "historic".