IT'S A CLEAN SWEEP FOR SNP
GLASGOW GOES YELLOW ... BUT WE'RE STUCK WITH PM BORIS
‘Scotland has spoken’
THE scale of the SNP victories across Glasgow surprised their own party and Labour. Many in both parties said they did not expect such an emphatic result. When the first SNP candidates and activists turned up at the counting venue at the SEC they did not think they would be celebrating such a convincing win in the city a few hours later.
Seats in Glasgow North East, Glasgow South West and Glasgow North West were expected to be closer contests.
However, as the votes stacked up and agents were recording their own samples of the ballots being counted, the smiles were only on the faces of those wearing yellow SNP rosettes.
In North East, the two main candidates Paul Sweeney and Anne McLaughlin were the last to turn up at the count for their parties.
There were tears as candidates and Labour politicians hugged colleagues in consolation.
Meanwhile in contrast as Returning Officer Annemarie O’Donnell read out the results there were loud cheers from the SNP contingent in the hall.
In Glasgow South, Stewart McDonald took the largest majority with 22,829 votes, 9005 ahead of Labour’s Johann Lamont.
There were, however, no celebrations from either Labour or the SNP as the scale of Boris Johnson’s victory across the UK became clear.
In North West, Carol Monaghan retained her seat with a majority of 8359 over Patricia Ferguson.
Ms Monaghan said: “We’ve seen two very different results north and south of the border. Scotland, an outward looking progressive nation.
“A nation that welcomes those that come to make their home here, whether to work or as people fleeing war and conflict in their own countries.
“This is a nation that looks forward to taking its place among the independent nations in Europe.
“We can no longer be shackled to
the disaster that is Brexit Britain, Scotland has spoken. We must have the right to choose our own future.”
Pam Duncan-Glancy, Labour candidate in Glasgow North, said: “I want to show other disabled women they should never be written off. But I’m terrified that the people who want to write us off have won an election.”
Pauline McNeill, Labour MSP for Glasgow, said: “I’m gutted for the country. This doesn’t provide any answers.
Whilst there are winners and losers it doesn’t take the country forward.”
Anne McLaughlin, Labour MP for Glasgow North East, said: “When I saw the exit poll tonight I was absolutely devastated because the first thing on my mind was we are being forced to live under a Tory Britain, a Tory Britain that we did not vote for in Scotland.
“I’m devastated for the rest of the UK and I’m delighted that the SNP has done so well.”