Labour surge to Scotland by-election win with double vote of SNP

Labour candidate Anne McCrory has gained the Bellshill ward in North Lanarkshire on first preferences alone, in a big win over the SNP

Labour have scored an emphatic victory in the Bellshill by-election, recording almost double the vote of the SNP.

Successful candidate Anne McCrory collected 1,440 votes, comfortably exceeding the SNP’s Joseph Budd on 753.

But Labour’s success did not come as a surprise, due to the controversial circumstances that triggered the by-election, with former SNP council leader Jordan Linden having resigned amidst allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies.

The contest was triggered after the SNP's Jordan Linden resigned over sexual misconduct allegations. Picture: PA

The crisis saw the collapse of the SNP administration in North Lanarkshire, with Labour resuming control just two months after the election.

More people voted for Cllr McCrory than her nine rival candidates combined.

Council leader Jim Logue said: “Anne will be an outstanding local champion for Bellshill. This by-election was a real team effort, and I’d like to thank all those who offered their help and support over the last few weeks. Anne’s outstanding victory cements our place as the largest Labour council in Scotland and is a boost in our mission to make North Lanarkshire the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit”.

Cllr McCrory added: “l’m absolutely delighted to be elected as a local champion for the area in which I’ve lived all my life. Throughout this campaign, I have made it very clear that I will always stand up for local interests and I’m thrilled to be given this opportunity by our community to represent them”.

North Lanarkshire Council chief executive Des Murray, the returning officer, said: “I would like to congratulate Anne McCrory on her election, and I look forward to seeing her at the next council meeting.”

A month before the election, analysis site Ballot Box Scotland predicted the result, saying Councillor McCrory would have to be caught “kicking a puppy down the street” to lose.

The result means that three out of four Bellshill councillors are now Labour, with Lisa Stubbs the lone SNP representative.