Renfrewshire South re-elects SNP man Tom
Second term is a‘privilege’for MSP
The SNP’s Tom Arthur has secured a second term at Holyrood as Renfrewshire South’s MSP with an increased majority of 7,106.
Two days after voters hit the polls, the result of the ballot was revealed at Braehead Arena on Saturday.
Mr Arthur, who first claimed the seat in 2016 from Labour, will join nationalist colleagues Natalie Don and George Adam in the Scottish Parliament after they seized victory in Renfrewshire North and West and Paisley respectively.
“I’m delighted to be re-elected as MSP for Renfrewshire South.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the communities of this constituency for the past five years and I’m looking forward to getting back to that job,” said Mr Arthur.
“It was a humbling experience to be elected in 2016 but to be re-elected with such an emphatic mandate from the people of Renfrewshire South, I feel a real sense of responsibility.
“I am going to work hard to repay the trust the people have put in me and the SNP.”
A total of 17,532 votes went to the SNP politician, while Paul O’Kane of Labour finished in second place with 10,426 - a drop of 3.2 per cent.
The Conservatives received 5,149 votes, the Liberal Democrats got 826, and Andy Doig’s new party Scotia Future collected 765.
More than 65 per cent of the electorate in Renfrewshire South turned up to the ballot box, an increase of five per cent compared to the last election in 2016.
Meanwhile, the results of the West Scotland list result were also declared with the region’s seven seats split between the Conservatives, Labour and Greens.
Russell Findlay, Jamie Greene and Pam Gosal were elected for the Tories, while Labour’s Neil Bibby, Paul O’Kane and Katy Clark also became MSPs.
Ross Greer was re-elected as a Green MSP in the region and said he was delighted people had placed their trust in the party again.
He said: “I squeaked in in 2016 and to be endorsed by the people I represent five years later with an increased number of Green votes, I’m really glad that people decided they had enough faith in us to give us another mandate.
“We’ve been able to deliver for the people in this area.
“Free school meals for all primary school pupils, that’s going to get rolled out over the next few years thanks to the Greens. That will be transformational in communities like Paisley.
“I feel that it’s not just the offer we gave people for the next five years, it’s an endorsement of what we’ve been able to deliver over the past five years too.”