Jo Swinson resigns as Liberal Democrat leader after losing her seat in a major election upset.

Swinson lost her seat to the Scottish National Party after a disappointing night for her party.

Swinson went into the UK election claiming that she could be the next prime minister.

Swinson replaced Sir Vince Cable as Lib Dem leader earlier this year. The anti-Brexit party will begin its search for a new leader.

Boris Johnson’s Conservatives secured an 80 seat majority.

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Jo Swinson has resigned as Liberal Democrat leader after losing her seat in a shock result, following a difficult night for her party in the United Kingdom’s general election.

Scottish National Party candidate Amy Callaghan defeated Swinson by a slim majority of just 149 votes in the constituency of East Dunbartonshire.

Swinson had gone into the general election aiming to win dozens of seats and initially claimed that she could be prime minister.

However, the party ended the election with just eleven House of Commons seats, one fewer than they won at the 2017 general election.

In one of the night’s most stunning results, Swinson lost her seat and subsequently resigned as Liberal Democrat leader, meaning the pro-European Union party will be forced to find a successor just months after she replaced Sir Vince Cable as the party’s leader earlier this year.

Speaking after losing her seat in the early hours of Friday morning, Swinson said the success of Johnson’s Conservatives and the pro-independence SNP „will bring dread and dismay and people are looking for hope.“

She added: „I still believe that we as a country can be warm and generous, inclusive and open, and that by working together with our nearest neighbours we can achieve so much more.“

The party’s deputy leader, Ed Davey, and president, Sal Brinton, will act as caretaker leaders until the party chooses a new leader next year. Davey is expected to be a fronrtunner alongside Layla Moran, who retained her seat of Oxford West and Abingdon.