Labour win council seat from SNP following by-election

Labour have won a council seat previously held by the SNP in a South Lanarkshire by-election.

The party increased its share by almost 14%, with newly-minted councillor Kirsty Williams receiving 1,386 votes in the East Kilbride West ward on a turnout of just 25.7%.

The SNP, however, fell to third place, behind Labour and the Tories after the resignation of councillor Ali Salamati, with the party’s vote dropping by 8.3%.

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said: “This fantastic result shows beyond a doubt that Scotland is crying out for change.

“People are tired of the secrecy and scandal at the heart of the SNP, who after 16 years in power are still failing local communities.

“Scottish Labour will change that, and fantastic councillors like Kirsty Williams will take us there together.”

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