Richard Leonard has told the BBC he would back a second referendum on Brexit in "all circumstances" after one of Labour's most challenging election results.

The party came fifth in Scotland with less than 10 per cent of the vote, down from 26 per cent in 2014.

The party had been expecting a tough result, however the final result was lower than even some of the least pessimistic expectations before the vote.

In the aftermath of the first electoral test on his leadership, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard reportedly told the BBC's Glenn Campbell that he was "humbled" by the results and would back a second Brexit referendum in all circumstances.

https://twitter.com/GlennBBC/status/1133010766720917504?s=19

The SNP secured 37.7 per cent of the vote, winning three Scottish MEP seats. The Brexit Party, Lib Dems and Scottish Conservatives all walked away with one seat each.

Leonard's pivot to supporting a referendum in all circumstances will likely be welcomed by those concerned by the results across the party, and could limit any internal factional attacks on his leadership.

One member said: "This is good. He is listening and is prepared to adapt rather than blindly following a strategy which didn't work."

Responding to the results, Leonard paid tribute to Scottish Labour MEP David Martin, who lost his seat, adding: "Labour was the only party fighting this election to bring the country back together.

The divisions caused by the competing nationalisms of the UK and Scottish Governments continue to be a distraction from both of their failures.

Labour must, and will, do more to challenge these failures and put forward our positive alternatives to invest in our people, our communities and our public services.

We put everything in to our campaign and were confident that our focus on jobs and a fair wage, schools and community would resonate with voters.

I firmly believe that only Labour has the capability and values to unite different parts of the country and as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, I will continue to put all my efforts into rebuilding the Party for the many, not the few."