Labour escapes meltdown in night of electoral chaos

A man outside a polling station in Pencaitland near Edinburgh Photograph: David Cheskin/PA

Alex Salmond, leader of the SNP, walks into a polling station to vote in the Scottish parliamentry elections Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Voters walk to the polling station in Pennan to cast their vote in the Scottish parliamentary elections Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan leaves a polling station after casting his vote in Michaelston-le-Pit, south Wales Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Ballot papers are counted at the Aberdeen Exhibition centre before being put into the automatic counting machines for the Scottish parliament elections count in Aberdeen Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Ballot boxes are emptied at the Aberdeen City and Shire count Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Automatic counting machines in Aberdeen Exhibition Centre Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

An electronic counting machine is cleaned whilst Ballot papers are counted at the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

A woman views a monitor displaying ballot papers which have been scanned by the automatic machines for the Aberdeen City and Aberdeen Shire count Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The counting of ballots begins at City Hall in Cardiff in the Welsh regional and Assembly elections Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce looks at results on television screens at the Aberdeen City and Shire count Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

SNP leader Alex Salmond celebrates winning his Gordon constituency as Liberal Democrat candidate Nora Radcliff looks on at the Scottish parliament elections Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA