SNP’S showing ‘truly remarkable’

Salmond hails performance while Lamont tells of ‘very good day’ for Labour

F i r s t Mi n i s t e r Ale x Salmond has described the SNP’S council election performance as “truly remarkable”.

The party won more than 424 council seats across Scotland, up 58 on the 2007 contest.

Mr Salmond, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, said: “This is a great win for the SNP and for Scotland.

“Five years after backing the SNP for the first time Scotland continues to move forward with the only national party, that is a substantial achievement.

“The SNP has won seats from Labour, from the Lib Dems and from the Tories in all parts of Scotland, urban and rural.”

He said the election story was a “tale of two governments” because the UK Government coalition parties, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, had a “disastrous day”.

Labour won 394 seats across Scotland, an increase of 58.

Party leader Johann Lamont said it had been a “very good day” for Labour. “Last year the Scottish people sent us a clear message thatwehadtoupourgame, that we had to put their interests before the party’s interests,” she added. “Today we have taken amajor step forward in rebuilding faith in us. If last year was a tsunami for the SNP, perhaps now the tide is going out on Alex Salmond.” The Liberal Democrats lost 80 seats to return 71 councillors.

Leader Willie Rennie said it had been a “very distressing day” for the party and many strong community activists had been lost.

“My message to them is this – I am sorry that you have lost out despite your tremendous efforts,” he added.

“These results should dispel any myth that the Liberal Democrats are only in the coalition for ourselves.” The Conservatives

“We have taken a major step forward in rebuilding faith in us”

lost 16 seats to return 115 councillors across Scotland.

Playing up the party’s performance, leader Ruth Davidson said: “We have seen a number of gains in councils across Scotland.

“We are up in Argyll and Bute, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, East Lothian and Moray, and we are now heading towards becoming the third party of local governmentin Scotland for the first time since 1992.

“We are the largest party in the Borders and South Ayrshire, and we will play a pivotal role in forming a number of administrations across Scotland.”