Cara Hilton sworn in as Dunfermline MSP

THE new Labour MSP for Dunfermline, Cara Hilton, was sworn in at Holyrood today.

Cara Hilton won last week's Dunfermline by-election. Picture: Jane Barlow

Hilton won the seat last week in a by-election triggered by the resignation of disgraced former MSP Bill Walker, who is in jail for a string of domestic abuse convictions.

Ms Hilton overcame the SNP challenge and took the constituency with a majority of 2,873 after polls closed on Thursday night.

In her victory speech, she said: “After the disgrace of Bill Walker, Dunfermline deserves better and I will ensure that we will be better - far better than what went before.”

Cara Hilton won last week's Dunfermline by-election. Picture: Jane Barlow

Dunfermline is now the second safest Labour seat at Holyrood, behind Elaine Murray’s 3,156 majority in Dumfriesshire.

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont hailed the victory as proof the party can compete against the SNP after heavy defeat nationally in 2011.

She said: ‘’It’s a very positive step. It’s a very substantial result, an emphatic result. Given where we were in 2011, this is a very important stage.”