Britain's Liberal Democrats party won a suprise by-election early today when it gained the constituency of Dunfermline and Fife West from Labour in Chancellor Gordon Brown's backyard.
After a bruising campaign, candidate Willie Rennie took the seat with a 1,800 majority on a 16.24 per cent swing.
The result is a blow for Mr Brown, who sits for next-door Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and represented some areas of Dunfermline and Fife West before boundary changes last year.
He campaigned strongly in the byelection, intervening on the issue of Forth bridge tolls. However the outcome is a boost for Lib Dem leadership contender Sir Menzies Campbell who represents nearby Fife North East.
At last May's General Election the late Rachel Squire won the seat for Labour with a 11,562.
The result was a disappointment for the Scottish National Party which increased its vote share by barely 2 per cent to trail in third place and a blow for the Tories who dropped to just 7.8 per cent despite a high-profile campaign appearance by new party leader David Cameron.
The byelection follows a British general election advance by the Liberal Democrats last year that left them the second largest party in Scotland in both seats and votes. It brings their House of Commons strength to 63.
PA