Local elections 2017: Labour loses control of Glasgow council

Labour has lost control of Glasgow council for the first time since 1980 as early election results in the city show the SNP and the Conservatives making gains.

Former Glasgow council leader Frank McAveety was re-elected, but Labour has lost overall control of the city council for the first time in 40 years. Picture: Getty Images

Scotland’s largest local authority was once viewed as an impregnable Labour stronghold, with the party winning every municipal election in the recent modern era.

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But with six wards declared so far, the party has seen its number of councillors drop - meaning it can no longer hope to return another majority.

While the SNP increased its number of representatives in the Shettleston ward from one to two, the surprise story of the morning was the Tories making a gain in the east end district with 20-year-old Thomas Kerr elected.

Ruth Davidson’s party has already won seats today in former Labour heartlands such as West Fife and Paisley and it has so far managed to repeat the trick in Glasgow.

Glasgow Labour leader Frank McAveety held his seat, but the party dropped from three councillors in 2012 to just one.

The Nationalists were privately confident midweek they could win 43 seats - enough for a majority - but it now looks they will emerge a few short, meaning they could seek a deal with the Greens.