Former Labour leadership candidate Ken Macintosh loses constituency seat to Conservatives

Former Scottish Labour leadership candidate Ken Macintosh lost his constituency seat to the Conservatives after 17 years but will return to Holyrood after being returned via the regional list.

Macintosh, MSP for the constituency of Eastwood since 1999, was forced into third place as Jackson Carlaw claimed the seat ahead of SNP candidate Stewart Maxwell.  

Carlaw, who lost the equivalent Westminster seat to Labour’s Jim Murphy in 1997, claimed the Scottish Conservatives have “found a champion” in leader Ruth Davidson, following the result.

Macintosh, who was fourth on the west of Scotland list, said: "The Labour Party has had a very difficult time since the referendum. I think we are starting to win the arguments but we aren't winning the votes."

Carlaw, an MSP at Holyrood since 2007 having been elected via the regional list after failing to win the Eastwood constituency at three attempts, won the seat with 12,932 votes.

Maxwell, an MSP since 2003 and former minister for communities and sport, claimed 11,321 votes, while Macintosh trailed in third with 11,081 votes after the party’s vote share plummeted 9.1 per cent. 

“This is obviously the proudest moment to be born and bred in the constituency of Eastwood and after several attempts to be invited to represent the people here,” said Carlaw. “And of course I will represent all of the people in Eastwood in the next Scottish parliament.”

In a gracious acceptance speech, Carlaw said Macintosh had been an “extraordinary standard bearer for the last 17 years” and described Maxwell as an “outstanding member of the Scottish Parliament”.

“Tonight is a tribute to the leadership of my party by Ruth Davidson,” added Carlaw. “When I came into politics the Conservative Party was a blue-collar meritocratic party that sought to represent people whatever their circumstance across Scotland and perhaps we lost touch with that for too long.

“In Ruth Davidson, though, the Conservative Party has found a champion.”

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “Just a few years ago people said it was impossible for the Conservatives to take Eastwood back from Labour and here tonight we've done it.”