Labour takes council seat from SNP

North Lanarkshire Council logo - Image credit: North Lanarkshire Council

Scottish Labour gained a seat previously held by the SNP in a council by-election.

Candidate Alex McVey won the Coatbridge North and Glenboig seat with 41.7 per cent of first preference votes, with the SNP’s Stephen Kirley behind on 39 per cent.

The seat was vacated after previous holder Fulton MacGregor stood down after being elected as an MSP in May.

Following his election, McVey said: "This by-election was a referendum on the Monklands and the result has been clear. It's a great honour to represent my community but we cannot go on with cuts to public services from the SNP government in Edinburgh.

"The Nationalists have doubled down on Tory cuts to our public services. That means cuts to education and cuts to care. The SNP need to use the tax powers of the Scottish Parliament to stop the cuts and invest in our communities."

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the result was a reflection of voters’ opposition to cuts to public services.

"Nicola Sturgeon says she wants to listen to the Scottish people. The people of Coatbridge have spoken loud and clear - hands off the Monklands."

SNP candidate McKirley also congratulated McVey on his victory.

He said: “I have no doubt he will work hard for the people of this council ward and I wish him well.

“Tonight we came a very close second and unfortunately fell short. However we will learn from this experience, pick ourselves up and go again in next year’s local authority election.”

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also offered his congratulations on Twitter.

The Conservative candidate won 11.3 per cent of the vote; the Greens 6 per cent and UKIP 1.9 per cent.