SNP loses vital seats and its majority

Two key city council seats – West End and The Ferry – are won by Conservative candidates

The SNP no longer has a majority on Dundee City Council after losing vital seats to a resurgent Conservative party.

After winning an unprecedented 16 councillors in 2012, the SNP lost two key seats in the West End and Ferry wards.

It means the party, comfortably the largest on the council, will now either run the city as a minority administration or enter into a coalition, either formally or informally, with other parties.

A coalition of Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and the council’s sole Independent councillor Ian Borthwick could theoretically block the SNP and form an administration but the prospect is extremely unlikely.

The Conservatives, who only had one seat on the council before the election, were jubilant after Donald Hay won his seat from the SNP in the West End, the third ward to be announced during the count at DISC yesterday.

It was the first moment of drama in the count which, until then, had seen both Labour and the SNP, and Scotland’s longest serving councillor, 78-year-old Ian Borthwick, retain their seats.

There were no further losses or gains by any party until the result of the final ward, The Ferry was announced.

In a turnout of 57% – the highest in the city by some margin – voters returned two Conservative councillors, one Liberal Democrat and one SNP councillor.

The result left the SNP stuck on 14 councillors, just one shy of an overall majority.

Labour won nine seats, just one fewer than in 2012.

The Conservatives finished on three seats, the Liberal Democrats on two with one independent.

Despite losing the SNP’s overall majority, the party’s group leader, John Alexander, remained upbeat and vowed Dundee’s next administration should reflect the wishes of voters.

He said: “I take the election at face value – we returned 14 out of 16 candidates and that’s a tremendous record.

“It shows people have confidence and appreciate the way we have been running the city but also looking forward they are voting for our ambition for Dundee.”

Mr Alexander said he would be in talks over the coming days with other party leaders discussing the options for the next administration but was clear he expects the SNP to remain the dominant party on the council.

I take the election at face value – we returned 14 out of 16 candidates and that’s a tremendous record. SNP GROUP LEADER JOHN ALEXANDER

Pictures: Kris Miller. Top: the SNP’s John Alexander is congratulated by his wife; middle: Vari McDonald is comforted after losing her seat; above: from left: Michael Marra, Alan Ross, Charlie Malone and Roisin Smith.