SNP lose to Labour in Edinburgh by-election

LABOUR today won the Liberton/Gilmerton city council by-election, securing more than 39 per cent of the first-preference votes to the SNP’s 31 per cent.

Labour candidate Keith Brown: 'Absolute honour'. Picture: Contributed

• Labour win Liberton/Gilmerton city council by-election with more than 39 per cent of first-preference votes

• SNP and Tories take second and third place, while Ukip finish with over 3 per cent of vote

The Tories took third place with the Lib Dems fourth, Greens fifth and UKIP sixth.

Labour victor Keith Robson said he was delighted. “It is an absolute honour to be elected to serve Liberton/Gilmerton,” he said.

The by-election was caused by the death of senior SNP councillor Tom Buchanan.

Labour and the SNP won roughly the same share of the vote in the ward as at the council elections last year.

The turn-out was 30.6 per cent, well down from last year’s 39.9 per cent but better than the 28 per cent at a previous by-election in 2010.

RESULT

Keith Robson Lab 2892 39.47 per cent

Derek Howie SNP 2249 30.69 per cent

Stephanie Murray Con 823 11.23 per cent

John Knox Lib Dem 605 8.26 per cent

Alys Mumford Green 412 5.62 per cent

Jonathan Stanley UKIP 235 3.21 per cent

John Scott Independent 64 0.87 per cent

Phil Hunt Pirate Party 47 0.64 per cent