Edinburgh, May 6 (IANS): The Scottish National Party (SNP) on Friday claimed a "historic" victory for a third term in parliament.

Britons on Thursday voted in a series of elections across the country. Elections took place for the Scottish parliament, National Assembly of Wales, the Northern Ireland assembly, for 124 councils in England and for new mayors in London, Bristol, Liverpool and Salford, with parliamentary by-elections in Ogmore and Sheffield Brightside

Counting is underway with further results to come in later in the day.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon is expected to lead her party to a third successive term in office, telling supporters: "We have made history".

“What we’re seeing tonight, not just across Glasgow but across the central belt of Scotland, is the SNP replacing Labour," The Scottish Daily Record quoted Sturgeon as saying.

“The collapse in Labour support is quite staggering.”

By 5.00 a.m., the SNP won 39 of the 48 seats to declare.

The Labour Party vote share plunged by 17 points in East Kilbride and Clydebank and Milngavie and the Tories beat them into third place in Clydesdale.

They had 15 constituency seats and had lost eight of them.