Commenting South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said, ” This is deeply sad news for the country, but first and foremost we should remember the Queen was a very much loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. My thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty’s loved ones.

“Like many people I’ve had the very great honour of attending events in the presence of the Queen. Those special occasions were just a very small part of a truly remarkable lifetime of public service by Her Majesty, for which we should all be immensely grateful.

“Most of us will never have known a time when Her Majesty was not serving our country as our Monarch. She has been such a comforting rock of stability, reassurance and compassion for our country at a time of so much turmoil and change and we all deeply mourn her loss. May Her Majesty rest in peace”.