The lists, which operated on a form of proportional representation, also gave seats to Conservative leader David McLetchie and the UK's first Green parliamentarian to win outside a by-election.

With all the results declared, the Scottish National Party had won 28 of the 56 top-up seats; the Tories 18; the Lib-Dems five and Labour three.

Tommy Sheridan's party, formed out of the Scottish Socialist Alliance in October last year, has about 1,200 paid-up members.

"From our point of view it is very much the David and Goliath show and David won," he said.

He spearheaded the campaign against the poll tax north of the border - receiving masses of support from Glasgow's Pollok area, where he grew up and now represents in the Scottish Parliament.

Tommy Sheridan: "We'll make sure we do a good job"

He was voted onto Glasgow City Council in 1992 in a show of solidarity from the city's working class while serving a six-month prison sentence following a poll tax protest.

During his time behind bars, he stood under the Scottish Militant Labour banner and came second in Glasgow Pollok in the 1992 General Election.

Tories in

Laura Trevelyan: "Politics in Scotland will never be the same again"

The Conservatives have returned 18 candidates from the regional lists, a major step forward from their previous total lack of representation at Westminster.

Mr McLetchie had to wait for more than 17 hours after the count in Lothian began, before learning he had won a place at Holyrood.

Lib-Dem peer Lord Steel, who is expected to become the parliament's first presiding officer (speaker), also made it in from the Lothians list.

And the Scottish Greens' Robin Harper made electoral history by securing his place in the parliament.