The constituency, which includes Shotts, saw Mr Gray hold off challenges from Labour and Reform to take the seat with 10.711 votes leaving him with a majority of over 4,000.

The SNP’s Neil Gray claimed a big victory in his Airdrie constituency – and then declared the UK Government should honour his party’s commitment to hold a second referendum on independence.

The constituency, which includes Shotts, saw Mr Gray hold off challenges from Labour and Reform to take the seat with 10.711 votes leaving him with a majority of over 4,000.

Mr Gray – who is also the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care – has held the seat since 2021, when he finished ahead of former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.

He was previously also served as MP for Airdrie and Shotts from 2015 to 2021.

Mr Gray said: “For a fifth time I have been given the honour to represent the Airdrie and Shotts constituency, and that is a responsibility I feel deeply.

“I will keep working hard for you all, regardless of whether you voted for me or not.

“We stood on a platform of positivity, vision and values.

“We stood against the politics of division and we have won. John Swinney and the SNP has the overwhelming mandate to govern and deliver on our manifesto, for a record 5th time.

“No UK Government should stand in the way of the democratic will of the people of Scotland.”

READ MORE: Central Scotland and Lothians West MSPs split among several parties

John Swinney put a commitment to hold an IndyRef2 at the heart of his party’s 2026 manifesto – but had repeatedly said the SNP would have to replicate its achievement in 2011 of winning an outright majority of MSPs if the UK Government was to agree such a demand.

Speaking to our sister title, The Daily Record, Mr Gray said: “We are making gains that mean we will have an historic fifth term in Government – John Swinney will lead the largest party and will be the next First Minister of Scotland”.

He continued: “Regardless of a majority or not, there is a significant mandate for the SNP to govern and for its manifesto to be implemented.

“So no UK Government should not stand in the way of the will of the people of Scotland.

“It was front and centre of our campaign.

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“Everybody knew what our campaign was about, on vision, values and the choice over our future, and no UK Government should stand in the way of the people of Scotland.”

Suzanne Macleod from Labour finished in second place in a tight contest with Reform.

Suzanne said: “Thank you to the 6,201 residents of Airdrie, Shotts and the surrounding villages who cast their votes in my favour and put their trust in me.

“My amazing team worked so hard and I value every minute they contributed.

“Sadly the overall numbers were not on my side today but I can honestly say it has been a pleasure to get to know so many lovely people across the constituency.

READ MORE: Airdrie store one of seven in UK to benefit from expansion of ‘Lidl & Go’ customer trial

“I was particularly pleased to reduce the majority of the incumbent MSP and beat Reform into third place.

“There can be no place in our country for their bitterness and division.

“That said, lessons will be learned and we live to fight another day.”

Reform UK’s Graham Simpson, who was his party’s only MSP at Holyrood after defecting from the Scottish Conservatives in 2025, finished third with 5,821 votes.

Across the other parties, Euan Blockley from the Scottish Conservatives claimed 1,145 votes while Edward John Thornley, of Scottish Liberal Democrats polled 660 votes.

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Meanwhile, independent candidate Brendan O’Donnell claimed 505 votes while North Lanarkshire councillor John Jo Leckie of the British Unionist Party and Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party gained 441 votes.

The total votes cast were 25,575 and the percentage poll was 46.93 per cent.

A total of 91 ballot papers were rejected.

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Reds10 Group completed a strategic investment in ESL Fabrication Engineers, one of East Yorkshire’s fastest-growing engineering firms, to complement Reds10’s advanced construction facility in Driffield.

Reds10 is part of a family of businesses which industrialises design, production and construction of the built environment.

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Paul Ruddick, chief executive of Reds10 Group, said: “Having worked with ESL for several years, we’ve seen first-hand the consistent quality of their service and their ambition for excellence and growth, values that closely align with our own.

“Bringing steel fabrication into the Reds10 Group adds a critical piece of the jigsaw as we launch our next phase of strategic growth to exploit advancing technologies, while integrating AI at every level of the business.”

The partnership will see ESL become part of the newly formed Reds10 Group.

This collaboration will bring steel fabrication in-house and support Reds10’s next phase of company expansion.

ESL, based in Kingston upon Hull, was founded in 2010 by father and son Paul and Gareth Thompson.

Specialising in steel fabrication across the UK, ESL handles everything from manufacturing and installation to repair and maintenance.

Gareth Thompson, co-founder and managing director of ESL, said: “We’ve come a long way since ESL’s inception in 2010 and our partnership with Reds10 feels like a natural next step that will bring clear benefits to both businesses.

“This marks an exciting next phase in our evolution, and we look forward to building on the strong working relationship we’ve developed with Reds10 in recent years and maximising the opportunities ahead.”

The company has grown steadily, reaching a turnover of £7 million in 2026 and employing nearly 50 people.

Reds10 and ESL have collaborated for the past five years on projects focused on delivering high-quality, sustainable buildings for the public sector.

Their work has emphasised sectors including defence, education, justice, and health.

Reds10 reported revenue of £144.7 million for 2024/25, with an operating margin of 4.8 per cent.

The company aims to grow revenue to £500 million and expand into healthcare, affordable housing, and temporary accommodation.

The company operates five factories covering 300,000 sq ft, where it produces sustainable and innovative buildings designed for transport and on-site assembly.

By integrating steel fabrication through this new investment in ESL, the company aims to further streamline its vertically integrated construction approach and strengthen its position in the off-site manufacturing sector.

Fire crews were called to the scene on the motorway near Whitefield earlier today

This dramatic photo showed a car up in flames on the M60 motorway.

The fire broke out in the vehicle on the motorway near Whitefield earlier this morning (Monday, May 11). Large flames and a huge plume of smoke billowed from the vehicle as motorists drove past.

Two lanes were closed off on the clockwise side of the motorway as emergency crews responded. A spokesperson for the fire service said three fire engines were sent to the scene.

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Two hose reels were used to extinguish the fire. Nobody is believed to have been injured in the incident, the M.E.N understands.

Huge queues formed on the motorway as the lanes were closed off. The motorway was fully reopened at around 7.30am.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Shortly after 6.35am on Monday 11 May, three fire engines from Broughton, Agecroft and Whitefield fire stations were called to attend a car fire on the M60 clockwise between junctions 16 and 17.

“Crews arrive quickly and used two hose reel jets and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire. Firefighters made the area safe before departing after approximately one hour at the scene.”

All traffic has been stopped on a stretch of the M62 this morning amid an accident.

Traffic is being held on a westbound stretch of the motorway towards Manchester. It is held from junction 22 for Rishworth Moor to junction 21 for Milnrow.

Long queues are building. Motorway cameras show heavy congestion up to the closure.

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Follow our live blog below for the latest traffic updates.

It reported a pre-tax loss of £5.3 million for the six months to March 28

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High street retailer Shoe Zone has warned over the Middle East war pushing up business costs and adding to shoppers’ worries as it reported widening losses. The chain, which runs 259 stores, has been shutting shops and is in the process of cutting the size of its warehouse.

It reported a pre-tax loss of £5.3 million for the six months to March 28, widening from the £2.3 million loss reported the same time last year. Revenues fell by 12% year-on-year to £62.9 million, which was partly due to there being 19 fewer stores than the year before after a series of closures. The chain closed 39 branches last year.

But Shoe Zone also blamed slower trading on consumers being less confident to spend as a result of the two latest Government budget announcements and, more recently, the war in Iran. This was resulting in fewer visitors to shops and less spending on nonessential items, according to the firm.

At the same time, it told investors that the conflict had resulted in higher transportation costs and pushed up the price of containers used for shipping, which it expects to weigh on financial performance for the rest of the year. The retailer said it was now expecting to report an adjusted pre-tax loss of between £1 million and £2 million for the full year, having previously guided towards a £1 million profit.

The conflict and the closure of international shipping waterway the Strait of Hormuz led to a surge in the cost of fuel, which has been impacting a range of businesses who use fuel for manufacturing, transport, or across their supply chains. Last week, sports fashion retailer JD Sports, which is well known for selling trainers, warned over the potential for higher prices and a weakening of consumer demand if costs continue to rise.

Meanwhile, Shoe Zone highlighted efforts to relocate and revamp its retail chain into newer and bigger formats which it wants to complete by the end of 2027. At the same time, it said it was in the process of reducing the size of its distribution centre to reflect the fact that it had fewer stores and to “right size” for the future.

Shoe Zone shares were down about 3.5% in early trading.

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann on Match of the Day: “I don’t think anyone would want to trade places with Darren England. Nobody would want to be sitting in that chair. He stepped up to the plate, he made the right decision and it’s the biggest VAR call in Premier League history.”

Former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given on Match of the Day: “The thing that grates {on] me is we have seen on numerous occasions with Arsenal this season, goalkeepers and defenders getting blocked off and the goal stands. Everyone is frustrated about the consistency of the refereeing decision. Why are some goals allowed to stand and this was disallowed? There is so much at stake at the bottom of the league and the very top.

“The other thing is Gabriel is holding, Odegaard is holding, Trossard is holding before the foul even happens on Raya. When does the referee decide that’s the foul he wants to pick and not the previous foul?”

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy on Match of the Day: “The controversy and discontent around West Ham not being given the goal is because it’s Arsenal. They can’t be held accountable for decisions in the past.

“The VAR officials have got to say what they see and it’s a clear foul. Just because it’s Arsenal we shouldn’t get it distorted.”

Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green on BBC Radio 5 Live: “It is a foul. You are looking at two players fouling the goalkeeper. There have been so many of these this season, it has been such a talked-about topic, there has been such inconsistency with it so for it to come down to this is huge.

“It just feels like for VAR, for West Ham, for Arsenal in particular with their set-pieces, has been the topic of the season.

“In isolation – foul. There were five or six fouls going on at the same time in there but it’s where the ball landed. Then you think consistency – there hasn’t been any.”

Martin Short has addressed the death of his daughter, Katherine, describing it as “a nightmare for the family”.

Katherine died on 26 February, and her body was discovered at her home in the Hollywood Hills by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office later confirmed she died by suicide.

Only Murders in the Building star Short, 76, spoke about Katherine’s death on CBS Sunday Morning, where he said: “The understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife’s, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal.”

The actor, who is the subject of the new Netflix documentary Marty: Life is Short, was referring to the death of his late wife, Nancy Dolman, from ovarian cancer in 2010.

He continued: “My daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she couldn’t until she couldn’t.”

When Katherine’s death was first announced, the comedy actor’s representative said: “It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time.

“Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

Katherine is the eldest of Martin and his late wife Nancy Dolman’s three adoptive children; the former couple are also parents to sons Oliver Patrick Short, 39, and Henry Hayter Short, 36. Dolman died in 2010 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

In 2006, Katherine graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender sexuality studies from New York University before moving on to receive her master’s in social work from the University of Southern California in 2010.

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Katherine spent four years at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital before joining the dual-diagnosis outpatient program at the Camden Center. She later moved into private practice as a licensed clinical social worker and also worked part-time at the clinic Amae Health.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.