Scottish nationalists rampaged to victory north of the border in Britain's national election, obliterating their opponents and setting the stage for a new battle over independence.
In an epic performance, the Scottish National Party (SNP) ousted the leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, defeated a senior Labour figure in Paisley, and took former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's onetime stronghold in Kirkcaldy.
"The Scottish lion has roared this morning across the country," former SNP leader Alex Salmond said after triumphing in the Gordon constituency in Aberdeenshire.