SNP largest party in local government

[Scottish_Republican]

SNP LARGEST PARTY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SEISMIC SHIFT IN SCOTTISH PUBLIC LIFE

The Scottish National Party today [Saturday] published figures showing that the SNP are now the largest party in Scottish local government, demonstrating the extent of the defeat for Labour last Thursday.

The SNP are the biggest party in Scotland’s councils (percentage of councillors in brackets):

SNP – 363 councillors (29.7%)
Labour – 348 councillors (28.48%)
Lib Dems – 166 councillors (13.6%)
Conservatives – 143 councillors (11.7%)
Others – 194 councillors. (15.9%)


Labour lost 161 (almost a third) of their councillors.

In 2003, the election results were as follows (percentage of the vote in brackets followed by the percentage of councillors):

SNP –181 councillors (24.1%) (14.8%)
Labour – 509 councillors (32.6%) (41.7%)
Lib Dems –175 councillors (14.5%) (14.3%)
Conservatives – 122 councillors (15.1%) (10.0%)
Others – 234 councillors (14.7%) (19.1%)

The SNP has Councillors in every Council except Orkney and Shetland which are exclusively Independent..

The SNP has increased its number of Council seats in 29 out of 30 Council areas (excluding the exclusively independent Orkney Council and Shetland Council). Angus was the only exception, though the SNP remains by far the biggest group.

The SNP are the largest political group or joint largest in 10 councils.

In East Dunbartonshire, the SNP has gone from having no seats to being the biggest group. In Glasgow, the SNP have 22 councillors, in South Lanarkshire 24, and in Edinburgh 12. In East Ayrshire, the SNP are even with Labour at 14.

SNP Deputy Leader Ms Nicola Sturgeon said:
“These figures underline the extent of the SNP’s success on Thursday. The SNP are now the largest party in Scottish local government.

“After a generation, Labour’s one-party states are history. There has been a seismic shift in Scottish public life, and Scotland’s councils will benefit from full democratic accountability.

“Labour appear to be in denial about the results on Thursday – Cathy Jamieson is talking about ‘standing in the wings’ to govern, even though they have been voted out. Labour are out of touch with the mood of Scotland. What Scotland needs and wants is a new progressive coalition to take the country forward, and that is what the SNP will seek to deliver.”

[Peter_Martin]

I've looked at the results for City of Glasgow council and notice that things look a little more healthy there. Labour had 65 + before the election. I counted up late last night so my figures might be slightly out:

Labour - 48
SNP - 22
Lib Dem - 5
Green - 5
Conservative - 1
Solidarty - 1

At least there is now a sensible sized opposition.

Labour do seem to have a problem. They are happy to win seats, but very bad about losing them. If a party is going to shout unfair they seem more likely to be labour, than the other parties.

[Scottish_Republican]

Trouble is that Labour has been extremely "unfair" for a long while.

Unfair in letting dead people vote in Mohammed Sarwar's consituency.

Unfair in giving jobs to friends and relatives in Monklands.

Unfair in fiddling about with ballot papers below Meadowbank stadium in Edinburgh.

Unfair in giving lots of advertising revenue to their friends in the Daily Record, but not to other papers.

[Lianachan]

Labour in Scotland were saved by the votes of the weedgie welfare state. It's quite clear that, outside the Glasgow area and a few wee isolated pockets, there's not much support for them.

[Peter_Martin]

I agree that Labour are strong. However, to use the phrase "Wedgie Welfare State" is unfair. Areas of Glasgow that are decidedly middle class and higher have returned Labour Councillors as their representatives in the past. I am thinking of areas such as Pollockshields, Garnethill, Kelvingrove or Langside.

Labour are still quite strong in the Glasgow - Edinburgh central belt and in parts of Ayrshire.

One question I wish to have answered is why Ayrshire is split between three regions on the list system? Cunninghame North (Isle of Arran, Largs, Ardrossan and Kilwinning) is in West of Scotland Region. Kilmarnock & Loudon is in Central Scotland region and finally Cunninghame South (Irvine), Ayr and Carrick are in South of Scotland Region.

Personally I consider my home county to belong to West of Scotland or else to South of Scotland. I don't really look on it as being central belt. I do wonder if this division of Ayrshire is to try and bolster the Labour vote in the respective regions.

[Lianachan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Martin

I agree that Labour are strong. However, to use the phrase "Wedgie Welfare State" is unfair.

Sorry, my tongue was in my cheek there and I neglected to make that obvious. Always a danger of this media.

[Gypsum_Fantastic]

There was a political map in one of the papers the other day. Still, mostly red right across the Central Belt. The yellow bits were mostly north of Stirling. The blue bits were down by the borders. Perhaps Labour should push for the independence of the Central Belt?