Here are some of the comments from the key figures throughout the night which saw Labour lose five seats in Scotland but win a historic third term at Westminster.
CHANCELLOR GORDON BROWN (LABOUR - KIRKCALDY AND COWDENBEATH)
Our purpose will be to maintain and entrench our economic stability and prosperity, to advance towards full employment in this country, and to build a stronger, fairer Britain where every child has the best start in life and there is dignity, security and opportunity for every family in the country.
SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY LEADER ALEX SALMOND
The SNP has made real progress in this election. We now have 'Scotland's Super Six' representing Scotland at Westminster, a team which has taken seats from the Labour Party in Scotland at a General Election for the first time since 1974. We can now look forward with confidence to the prospect of an SNP victory in 2007 when both Labour and the Liberal Democrats will be saddled with all the misdeeds of their failed coalition.
SIR MENZIES CAMPBELL (LIBERAL DEMOCRATS)
It would be surprising if there had not been, in the country, a widespread determination to reflect back to Labour the concern that people feel about Iraq and the issues of trust and credibility which have been fundamental in assessing the performance of the government and of course important in assessing the performance of the prime minister himself.
ROBIN COOK (LABOUR - LIVINGSTON)
Many of those who voted for us today did so with anxieties about what happened over the war in Iraq and their anxieties must be followed by questions in parliament when it returns.
JO SWINSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRATS - EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE)
There was clearly an anti-Labour vote but I also think that the positive Lib Dem campaign went down well. Charles Kennedy did extremely well and our message certainly resonated.
DEFEATED CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATE PETER DUNCAN
We are too significant a force to be at the margins of Scottish politics. We need to be in the centre ground and in the long-term running Scotland's government.
DEFEATED ANTI-WAR CANDIDATE ROSE GENTLE
This is not the end, this is just the beginning. Blair thinks the war is going to go away but the next step is we're going to take him to court over
Iraq.
SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVE DEPUTY LEADER ANNABEL GOLDIE
It is very obvious to me that in all constituencies, people have been looking at how to give Tony Blair a bloody nose and they have made their judgement about which party is the best bet to achieve that.
LABOUR'S CALUM MACDONALD AFTER LOSING THE WESTERN ISLES SEAT TO THE SNP
I feel it was a protest vote against the large-scale wind farm proposed by Amec for North Lewis. I think that was a factor in my defeat.
LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEADER CHARLES KENNEDY
The era of three-party politics right across the UK is now with us.
SCOTTISH SECRETARY ALISTAIR DARLING - LABOUR MP FOR EDINBURGH SOUTH WEST
The election here in this constituency was a reflection of the election across the country where I believe the people share our view of a fair and just society, and they have totally rejected the Conservative alternative.
SCOTTISH SOCIALIST PARTY CONVENER COLIN FOX
We expected a tough time, we got a tough time, we have thrown our hands up to it and said we knew it was coming.
MOHAMMED SARWAR - LABOUR MP FOR GLASGOW CENTRAL
I think it would be wrong for us to share a platform with the BNP. I am glad that people in Glasgow Central have rejected the BNP and their facist views.
ROBIN HARPER - SCOTTISH GREEN PARTY CO-CONVENER
I'm terribly pleased with our performance - it's better than we have ever done before. If this election had been a representative one, we would probably be looking at two Scottish Green MPs elected.
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