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Early election results dent SNP's Glasgow hopes Labour dents SNP's hopes for Glasgow
(about 1 hour later)
The Scottish National party failed to make the early gains it needed in local elections to win control of Glasgow, despite signs it would achieve clear victories in several key Scottish cities.The Scottish National party failed to make the early gains it needed in local elections to win control of Glasgow, despite signs it would achieve clear victories in several key Scottish cities.
The first results in the Scottish council elections put Labour ahead in Glasgow, the most keenly contested and eagerly sought prize for the SNP, while Labour made a stronger showing than its opponents expected across the country.The first results in the Scottish council elections put Labour ahead in Glasgow, the most keenly contested and eagerly sought prize for the SNP, while Labour made a stronger showing than its opponents expected across the country.
After an early assessment of total votes cast put Labour ahead, up seven points on 2007, with the SNP only up five points, Alex Salmond, the first minister, acknowledged that it was becoming a head-to-head battle with Labour across Scotland.After an early assessment of total votes cast put Labour ahead, up seven points on 2007, with the SNP only up five points, Alex Salmond, the first minister, acknowledged that it was becoming a head-to-head battle with Labour across Scotland.
Both parties were stripping votes away from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, confirming a trend across the UK of voters punishing the UK coalition government.Both parties were stripping votes away from the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, confirming a trend across the UK of voters punishing the UK coalition government.
By 1pm on Friday, Labour had won 14 of Glasgow's 79 seats, with the SNP on 10, the Conservative's sole councillor, David Meikle, holding his seat, and the Liberal Democrats stuck with just one. By 3.30pm on Friday, Labour had won 26 of Glasgow's 79 seats, with the SNP on 19, the Conservative's sole councillor, David Meikle, holding his seat, and the Liberal Democrats stuck with just one. Glasgow First also had one seat.
Salmond confirmed that Labour's vote was up but insisted the SNP – before polling day the largest party in local government in Scotland – would continue to make significant gains. Before the election, Salmond's stated target for the party was to win the most seats and most votes.Salmond confirmed that Labour's vote was up but insisted the SNP – before polling day the largest party in local government in Scotland – would continue to make significant gains. Before the election, Salmond's stated target for the party was to win the most seats and most votes.
"Our first-preference votes are up 6-7% across Scotland. That puts us in a good, strong commanding position to be the leading party in the country," he said on BBC Radio Scotland."Our first-preference votes are up 6-7% across Scotland. That puts us in a good, strong commanding position to be the leading party in the country," he said on BBC Radio Scotland.
The results came against a background of extremely low turnout across Scotland, with an expectation it could be the lowest on record at about 30%. The results came against a background of an extremely low turnout across Scotland, with an expectation that it could be the lowest on record at about 30%.
Derek Mackay, the Scottish local government minister and the SNP's council campaign coordinator, said the government would be introducing a new consultation on strengthening local democracy to find new ways of improving voting levels. Derek Mackay, the Scottish local government minister and the SNP's council campaign co-ordinator, said the government would be introducing a new consultation on strengthening local democracy to find new ways of improving voting levels.
The strongest signs that the SNP faced disappointment in Glasgow came after it failed to sweep the board in the Govan area of the city, where SNP deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has her Holyrood seat. The strongest signs that the SNP faced disappointment in Glasgow came after it failed to sweep the board in the Govan area of the city, where the SNP deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has her Holyrood seat.
It took only one of the four Govan ward seats, leaving the SNP unable to command a majority in the city, even if later results found the SNP outstripping Labour.It took only one of the four Govan ward seats, leaving the SNP unable to command a majority in the city, even if later results found the SNP outstripping Labour.
But the SNP is on course to win a number of significant gains: it is on track to take control of Dundee, Stirling, Perth and perhaps Edinburgh, potentially giving the SNP its first councils where it has an overall majority. But the SNP is on course to win a number of significant gains: it is on track to take control of Dundee, Stirling, Perth and perhaps Edinburgh, potentially giving the SNP its first councils where it has an overall majority. In Aberdeen, Labour was up nine to 17 seats, while the SNP was unchanged on 15.
By lunchtime on Friday, the SNP had 39 seats, up nine, across Scotland against 29 seats, up four, for Labour. The early results suggested strongly that both big parties were making gains at the expense of the UK coalition parties – the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. By mid-afternoon on Friday, the elections expert Professor John Curtice said the average change in the share of vote across Scotland since 2007 was up 6% for Labour and the SNP was 4% higher. The early results suggested strongly that both big parties were making gains at the expense of the UK coalition parties – the Conservatives and the Lib Dems – which were down 2% and 8% respectively.
At midday, the first results suggested that the Tory vote had fallen by three points and the Lib Dem vote by nine points, although the Lib Dems were showing very strongly in Inverness, the home territory of Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury in the UK government, who was last year a lightning rod for discontent at UK government spending cuts.At midday, the first results suggested that the Tory vote had fallen by three points and the Lib Dem vote by nine points, although the Lib Dems were showing very strongly in Inverness, the home territory of Danny Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury in the UK government, who was last year a lightning rod for discontent at UK government spending cuts.
Margaret Curran, Labour's shadow Scottish secretary, was cautious about predicting that Labour would hold Glasgow, a city it has held for decades and its largest and most important political base in Scotland.Margaret Curran, Labour's shadow Scottish secretary, was cautious about predicting that Labour would hold Glasgow, a city it has held for decades and its largest and most important political base in Scotland.
"It's too early to call Glasgow," Curran said. "But certainly the SNP days ago was telling us that they were going to win Glasgow, and I don't think that's likely.""It's too early to call Glasgow," Curran said. "But certainly the SNP days ago was telling us that they were going to win Glasgow, and I don't think that's likely."
On Wednesday, the SNP MSP Humza Yousaf, a close ally of Sturgeon, told the Guardian he thought the SNP would win two or three seats more than Labour in Glasgow. On Wednesday, the SNP MSP Humza Yousaf, a close ally of Sturgeon, told the Guardian that he thought the SNP would win two or three seats more than Labour in Glasgow.
The elections expert Professor John Curtice said: "One might even begin to describe the results we've had in so far as remarkably disappointing for the SNP, at least so far as the party's objective was to end up with a bigger lead over Labour than the very narrow outcome that occurred in 2007." Curtice said: "One might even begin to describe the results we've had in so far as remarkably disappointing for the SNP, at least so far as the party's objective was to end up with a bigger lead over Labour than the very narrow outcome that occurred in 2007."
With a record low turnout predicted in the Scottish local council elections, experts say it may be time to look at online voting to re-engage with the electorate, particularly the young.With a record low turnout predicted in the Scottish local council elections, experts say it may be time to look at online voting to re-engage with the electorate, particularly the young.
It is believed the vote in Scotland has suffered in part because it is the first time since 1995 that local elections have not been held at the same time as the Holyrood poll – in 1995, the turnout was 45%.It is believed the vote in Scotland has suffered in part because it is the first time since 1995 that local elections have not been held at the same time as the Holyrood poll – in 1995, the turnout was 45%.
The Holyrood and council elections were separated to help avoid a repeat of the 2007 fiasco, in which around 140,000 ballots were spoiled and problems with the electronic counting delayed results. The Holyrood and council elections were separated to help avoid a repeat of the 2007 fiasco, in which about 140,000 ballots were spoiled and problems with the electronic counting delayed results.
"It is the first time that the Scottish electorate has got to vote only on the local elections for nearly 20 years," said Neil McGarvey, a lecturer in Scottish politics at Strathclyde University. "A lot of people have simply not been used to it.""It is the first time that the Scottish electorate has got to vote only on the local elections for nearly 20 years," said Neil McGarvey, a lecturer in Scottish politics at Strathclyde University. "A lot of people have simply not been used to it."
Peter Lynch, a senior lecturer in history and politics at the University of Stirling, said a record low turnout should not be a surprise: "It's completely predictable. It is the continuation of an existing trend. People have been voting less for some time."Peter Lynch, a senior lecturer in history and politics at the University of Stirling, said a record low turnout should not be a surprise: "It's completely predictable. It is the continuation of an existing trend. People have been voting less for some time."
In Scotland, the situation had been exacerbated, he said, by the fact that the local elections were being held separately from Scottish parliament elections, by the age profile of local councillors, the STV voting system and large multi-member wards, which may mean councillors have been less identified with individual wards, and a continuing failure to engage with voters. In Scotland, the situation had been exacerbated, he said, by the fact that the local elections were being held separately from Scottish parliament elections, by the age profile of local councillors, the single transferable vote system and large multi-member wards, which may mean councillors have been less identified with individual wards, and a continuing failure to engage with voters.
McGarvey said that if the vote did prove to be a record low, online voting should be considered as a real possibility to re-engage younger voters. He said the current system involved "a very dated way of voting where you go to your local school and cast your ballot, which for a lot of young people seems very old-fashioned". McGarvey said that if the vote did prove to be a record low, online voting should be considered as a real possibility to re-engage with younger voters. He said the current system involved "a very dated way of voting where you go to your local school and cast your ballot, which for a lot of young people seems very old-fashioned".