2015 has been a bumper year for the SNP in local by-elections – as the party celebrates 25 new councillors elected from 28 by-elections contested on and since General Election Day.
New analysis shows that the SNP has achieved swings from each of the parties represented at Holyrood in these by-elections – with a 13.1 per cent swing from Labour, 4.9 per cent from the Tories, 5.9 per cent from the Lib Dems and a 6 per cent swing from the Greens.
Based on results in the same seats in the 2012 local government elections, the SNP vote is up by 12.9 per cent, while Labour’s vote has fallen by 13.3 per cent.
Commenting, SNP Business Convener Derek Mackay MSP said:
“These by-elections have saw the election of 25 new local champions for communities across Scotland as people continue to put their trust in the SNP to represent them – and have saw swings to the SNP from every other party represented in the Scottish Parliament.
“These results show that despite a change of leader north and south of the border, people in Scotland are continuing to reject a hopelessly divided, completely ineffective Labour party who aren’t even regarded as a credible party of opposition, never mind a credible party of government.
“These results are further confirmation that after eight years in government people are continuing to place their trust in the SNP and our strong record of delivery and success in government – with the NHS budget at a record high, crime at a 41 year low, free university tuition, 1000 more police on our streets, prescription charges scrapped, free personal care maintained, our target of building 30,000 affordable homes exceeded and the impact of the Bedroom Tax mitigated.
“But there is more work to do and we take absolutely nothing for granted – we will work hard to retain the trust of the Scottish people next year and to secure the re-election of Nicola Sturgeon and an SNP Government with a track record of delivering for Scotland.”
