THE Scottish National Party stormed to victory yesterday in the Moray by-election to the Scottish Parliament, caused by the death of the popular SNP member Margaret Ewing.

THE Scottish National Party stormed to victory yesterday in the Moray by-election to the Scottish Parliament, caused by the death of the popular SNP member Margaret Ewing.

Richard Lochhead increased his party's majority to 6,385, which registered as a 1.8% swing from the Conservatives to the SNP on a turnout of 45.5%.

The Tories were expected to pose a strong threat to the SNP after finishing second in 2003 and with a historically strong vote base in the area and candidate Mary Scanlon even resigned her Highlands and Islands list seta to contest the constituency.

Result in detail:

MORAY

SNP hold

Richard Lochhead (SNP) 12,653; Mary Scanlon (C) 6,268; Linda Gorn (LD) 5,310; Sandy Keith (Lab) 2,696; Melville Brown (NHS First) 493.

SNP majority 6,385. Swing C to SNP 1.8%. Turnout 27,420