SNP claims ‘resounding victory’ as Tories flop
The SNP finishes up the biggest party in 21 out of the 32 local authorities, while Labour replaces the Conservatives as the second biggest.
NICOLA STURGEON welcomed her party’s “resounding victory” as the
SNP secured its best Scottish council election result, despite being in government for 15 years.
Across Scotland, the SNP was the biggest party in 21 out of the 32 local authorities, with 453 councillors elected, up 22 on its number in 2017.
Ms Sturgeon’s party increased its share of first preference votes to
34.1 per cent, ahead of Labour on 21.7% of the vote share and the Tories on 19.6%.
Labour replaced the Conservatives as the second biggest party, picking up 20 seats and a total of 282 councillors, – while the Tories lost 63 and now have only 214 councillors in Scotland.
The Libdems and the Greens increased their number of councillors and share of the vote from 2017, but Alex Salmond’s Alba Party failed to get a single councillor elected, including party general secretary Chris Mceleny, who lost his seat in Inverclyde.
In Dundee, the SNP secured an overall majority, while Labour won control of West Dunbartonshire.
But across the country, parties are set to thrash out deals to secure coalitions, informal agreements or opt to go it alone as minority administrations.
Labour fell one seat short of becoming the biggest party in Glasgow, with the SNP remaining the largest group of councillors. In the capital, the SNP matched its performance from 2017 and is now the biggest party in Edinburgh, with the Conservatives seeing their councillors halved from 18 to nine and the Libdems doubling their tally from six to 12.
The SNP was the largest party in Aberdeen, returning 20 councillors, which should be enough for it to run as a minority administration.
In Moray, the Conservatives increased their number of councillors, gaining three seats to move to 11, with the SNP – which has run the authority as a minority administration since 2019 – down one to eight.
Nicola Sturgeon rejected claims that the SNP’S success was because of her party’s position on the constitution.
Speaking to journalists at the count in the Emirates Stadium, Glasgow, the First Minister said the party had now been in power for 15 years, and it was wrong to suggest its longevity was down to some kind of “fluke”.
She said: “They like the way the
SNP represents Scotland. They have confidence and trust in us. After 15 years in government, the idea that it’s some kind of accident or fluke that the SNP is winning elections... I mean we’re not winning elections by the skin of our teeth.”
She said the results showed “the SNP is – by any measure – Scotland’s dominant political force”, adding
“our resounding victory is even more remarkable given my party has been in government at Holyrood for 15 years”.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has been criticised for U-turning on his call for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to quit over parties in and around Downing Street during lockdown, citing the need for stability at the top of the UK Government due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking from the election count in Moray, Mr Ross said it had been “a difficult night” for his party, adding the results were “very disappointing”.
The Scottish Tory leader highlighted gains in Moray and Aberdeenshire, but said: “In too many parts of Scotland, we’ve lost excellent candidates and councillors haven’t been re-elected because it seems many of our supporters decided to sit this one out, to protest and not cast their vote, and we’ve lost out as a result of that.”
When asked whether he believes Mr Johnson should lead the Conservatives into the next General Election, Mr Ross said: “The Prime Minister simply can’t ignore the message that’s been sent from voters not just here in Scotland, but across the UK.”
He added that “there’s been a very strong message from the public to the Prime Minister and to the party”.
But Conservative activists have pointed the finger at Mr Ross for failing to distance the Scottish Tories from the Partygate scandal and the Prime Minister, as well as a lack of direction.
One source told The Herald: “The party hierarchy needs to be having a closer examination of its strategy or even develop one”.
The SNP held on in Glasgow, remaining the biggest party, though it was forced to fight off a fierce challenge from Labour and won by just one seat.
A jubilant Anas Sarwar arrived at the count in Glasgow, in mid-afternoon, claiming Scottish Labour had previously “not been willing to compete”.
He said: “We have got the Labour Party back on the pitch. We’ve made huge progress. Last year, the project was to stop armageddon, and we did that. Over the last year we have moved forward, and built progress and now I want us to continue that motoring forward, continue that momentum in towns, cities, and villages, right across the country. So we’re in a place to gain seats again at the next General Election.”
Despite Labour coming within one seat of being the largest party in Glasgow, Mr Sarwar again ruled out a formal coalition with other political parties.
In Edinburgh, the SNP matched its performance from 2017 with 19 councillors elected to become the biggest party, but with the Conservatives seeing their tally halved from 18 to nine, Labour claimed second spot with 13, while the Libdems doubled their number of councillors in the capital from six to 12 and the Greens increased their return from eight to 10.
Although Mr Sarwar has ruled out formal coalitions, it is believed discussions over an informal arrangement in the capital are set to get under way – leaving the door open for the SNP and Labour to continue their administration in some capacity.
Earlier, Scottish Libdems leader
Alex Cole-hamilton stressed his party is in “growth territory” after picking up a series of early gains in Edinburgh.
The Libdems made history in the capital by being the first party in Edinburgh to have three councillors elected in a single four-member ward.
Mr Cole-hamilton told The Herald the Libdems “have flipped a lot of communities who have traditionally voted Tory”, taking advantage of Partygate.
He added: “We’re more in tune with progressive values that they hold which the Tory party has deserted with their move to the right.”
It was a good result for the Scottish Greens, who returned 35 councillors across 13 local authorities, 15 more than the party achieved in 2017.
The Prime Minister simply can’t ignore the message that’s been sent from voters