The Scotsman

Labour gains and Tory disappoint­ment

- By IAN SWANSON

MORAY ■(Con) Douglas Ross Oustedsnpw­estminster­leader Angus Robertson. He was elected MSP for the Highlands and Islands region in 2016, but has come under fire due to his other career as a football assistant referee.

BANFF AND BUCHAN ■(Con) David Duguid Boosted his party’s vote by 19.2 per cent after making fishing a key issue in his campaign, committing to pushing the UK government to pull out of the Common Fisheries Policy.

GORDON ■(Con) Colin Clark Ousted former SNP leader Alex Salmond, boosting the Tory vote by 29 per cent. He bought into a fresh produce selling business at the age of just 24 and said: “I am a job creator with real life experience.”

ABERDEENSH­IRE WEST AND KINCARDINE ■(Con) Andrew Bowie Former Navy officer, who has been trained in antipiracy activities, was Tory campaign manager for the north of Scotland in the 2015 general election and for the Better Together campaign during the 2014 independen­ce referendum.

ANGUS ■(Con) Kirstene Hair The 27yearold organised the Scottish Conservati­ve conference in 2013, before moving on to be an executive assistant at DC Thomson. She beat former SNP chief whip Mike Weir.

OCHIL AND SOUTH PERTHSHIRE ■ (Con) Luke Graham Took 41 per cent of the vote. He has been prolific in the business world, having held positions at M&S and been director of finance for the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign.

KIRKCALDY AND COWDENBEAT­H ■(Lab) Lesley Laird Managed to create a 259 majority over SNP’S Roger Mullin. She is deputy leader of Fife council, having been elected as a councillor in 2012. Before becoming a councillor, Laird occupied a series of human resources roles.

EDINBURGH WEST ■(Libdem)christinej­ardine Former journalist won with a majority of almost 3,000, helped by 10 per cent slump of SNP rival Tony Giugliano. An SNP activist claimed Jardine was campaignin­g during the truce after the Manchester terrorist attack – in fact she was at the funeral of her husband.

DUNBARTONS­HIRE EAST ■(Lib Dem) Jo Swinson Regaining the seat she lost in 2015, she ousted the former BBC presenter and current SNP culture spokesman John Nicolson. First elected in 2005, she served as a junior minister in the coalition government.

GLASGOW NORTH EAST ■(Lab) Paul Sweeney Beat the SNP by just 242 votes. Before politics, he held a number of positions with BAE Systems, as well as currently work for Scottish Enterprise and being an Army Reservist.

COATBRIDGE, CHRYSTON AND BELLSHILL ■(Lab) Hugh Gaffney Managed a majority of 1,500 helped by a bog SNP collapse. The North Lanarkshir­e Councillor has strong union links.

RUTHERGLEN AND HAMILTON WEST ■(Lab) Ged Killen Just 265 votes was enough for the councillor. Before the election, bookmakers had the SNP at 1/50 to win the seat.

ABERDEEN SOUTH ■(Con) Ross Thomson Beat the SNP with a swing of nearly 15 per cent. He was awardedale­gendarysam­uari certificat­e by the The Scottish Samurai awards in 2016 due to his work on Aberdeen City Council in raising awareness of “The Scottish Samuari”, Thomas Blake Glover.

DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY ■(Con) Alister Jack Made his business in selfstorag­e, making a £20 million fortune through his company, Armadillo. Wishes to use his experience to help support the rural interests of the region.

EAST LOTHIAN ■(Lab) Martin Whitfield One of Labour’s big targets. Former lawyer and current primary school teacher in Prestonpan­s is also a council member of the General Teaching Council of Scotland.

BERWICKSHI­RE, ROXBURGH & SELKIRK ■(Con) John Lamont Previously the MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshi­re, he resigned to contest the UK seat. This was his fourth attempt at gaining the seat.

AYR, CARRICK & CUMNOCK ■(Con) Bill Grant Working in Ayr for 30 years as a firefighte­r and later ten as a local councillor, he becomes the Tories’ first MP in the area for nearly 20 years

MIDLOTHIAN ■(Lab) Danielle Rowley Winning by 885 votes, overturned a 10,000 SNP majority. Rowley is a campaign and public affairs officer for housing charity Shelter, and is the daughter of Scottish Labour Party deputy leader Alex Rowley. Labour’s Ian Murray stormed to victory in Edinburgh South with almost 55 per cent of the votes and a 15,514 majority. Scotland’s only Labour MP for the past two years, he saw off the SNP challenge from former MSP Jim Eadie.

In Midlothian, Danielle Rowley, defeated Owen Thompson by 885 votes. She said she was delighted” with the result and particular­ly proud to become Midlothian’s first female MP.

In East Lothian, Martin Whifield had a 3,083 majority over SNP MP George Ker evan. Mr Whitfield said local issues were the top priority for voter.

Christine Jardine won back Edinburgh West for the Lib Dems with a majority of 2,988.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs failed in his bid to move to Westminste­r by capturing Edinburgh South West from the SNP’S Joanna Cherry. The SNP also held on to Edinburgh North & Leith and Edinburgh East, with Deidre Brock and Tommy Sheppard.

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