Labour hail by-election wins as SNP beaten by obscure Unionist party

Scottish Labour politicians have lauded their results in a pair of local by-elections that took place yesterday, including one in which the SNP was beaten into third place by an obscure unionist party.
Winning candidate Clare Quigley with MSP Richard Leonard. Picture: Contributed/Airdrie and Shotts LabourWinning candidate Clare Quigley with MSP Richard Leonard. Picture: Contributed/Airdrie and Shotts Labour
Winning candidate Clare Quigley with MSP Richard Leonard. Picture: Contributed/Airdrie and Shotts Labour

The party, which is in the process of selecting a new leader following the departure of Kezia Dugdale, held a Glasgow City Council seat in Cardonald and gained a seat in Fortissat, North Lanarkshire.

The by-election was trigerred following controversy over ‘ghost councillor’ Sandy Thornton, a Conservative who suffered from chronic illness and refused to take up his seat after a surprise win in May.

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Labour’s Clare Quigley won with 38.5 per cent of First Preference votes, while the SNP were beaten into third, receiving 20.6 per cent of the votes compared to 23.3 for little-known “A Better Britain - Unionist Party”.

In Glasgow, Labour held the seat initially won by long-serving councillor Alistair Watson, who died in June.

Their candidate Jim Kavanagh won 48.6 per cent of the first preference votes, with the SNP in second on 36.7 per cent, a drop of 7.5 per cent for Nicola Sturgeon’s party.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay tweeted: “Delighted for Claire Quigley winning her seat at the Fortissat by election she was a brilliant candidate.”

Local SNP MP Neil Gray said: “Labour pick up Fortissat seat abandoned by Tories. Gutted for Mags Murphy, who would have been brilliant, but congrats to Clare Quigley.”

Labour leadership contender Anas Sarwar posted: “Great result in the Cardonald by-election. Well done @JimKavanagh2017. Labour fightback in Glasgow!!”

SNP Minister Humza Yousaf tweeted: “Labour hold their seat in Cardonald. Dissapointed but v proud of campaign team & fabulous candidate @Mr_Mitchell who put in so much graft”

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