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Cowdenbeath by-election: Alex Rowley holds seat for Labour Cowdenbeath by-election: Alex Rowley holds seat for Labour
(35 minutes later)
Alex Rowley has held the Cowdenbeath Scottish Parliament seat for Labour in the by-election sparked by the death of sitting MSP Helen Eadie. Labour has held the Scottish Parliament seat of Cowdenbeath with an increased majority in a by-election sparked by the death of sitting MSP Helen Eadie.
Labour beat the SNP, recording a majority of 5,488 votes, with the Conservatives polling third and UKIP pushing the Lib Dems into fifth place. Fife Council leader Alex Rowley beat the SNP to claim the seat with a 5,488 vote majority.
Mr Rowley became the leader of the Fife Council in 2012. The Conservatives came third, while UKIP pushed the Liberal Democrats into fifth place.
The result saw an 11.25% swing from the SNP to Labour from the 2011 Scottish election, on a voter turnout of 34%.The result saw an 11.25% swing from the SNP to Labour from the 2011 Scottish election, on a voter turnout of 34%.
Mr Rowley said the result, declared at about 01:00 on Friday, was about more than the Scottish government's 18 September independence referendum. Mr Rowley said the outcome of the by-election, declared at about 01:00 on Friday, was about more than the Scottish government's 18 September independence referendum.
He said: "It's about full employment for every young person to get the opportunities that they deserve from their lifetime.He said: "It's about full employment for every young person to get the opportunities that they deserve from their lifetime.
"It's about elderly people living in Fife with dignity, and making sure when they need services those services are available."It's about elderly people living in Fife with dignity, and making sure when they need services those services are available.
"We can give people jobs, we can give people opportunities, we can do that with a strong, devolved Scottish Parliament working within the UK.""We can give people jobs, we can give people opportunities, we can do that with a strong, devolved Scottish Parliament working within the UK."
The SNP's Natalie McGarry said: "In eight months' time there is going to be a referendum, and people in this constituency and across Scotland will have a vote. Labour held Cowdenbeath with a 1,247 vote majority at the last Scottish Parliament election.
The area is represented at Westminster by former prime minister Gordon Brown.
The SNP said its share of the vote was the same as in the 2007 election, adding that Cowdenbeath was the only Fife seat the party did not win in the 2011 polls.
The party's candidate, Natalie McGarry, said: "In eight months' time there is going to be a referendum, and people in this constituency and across Scotland will have a vote.
"I heard on the doorsteps from a lot of traditional Labour voters who said: 'Listen, Natalie, I'm not going to vote for you, but I am actually thinking about voting yes in the referendum'."I heard on the doorsteps from a lot of traditional Labour voters who said: 'Listen, Natalie, I'm not going to vote for you, but I am actually thinking about voting yes in the referendum'.
"So Alex Rowley may be the victor tonight, but I believe the whole of Scotland will celebrate a Yes victory in September.""So Alex Rowley may be the victor tonight, but I believe the whole of Scotland will celebrate a Yes victory in September."
Conservative candidate Dave Dempsey said his party, whose vote increased, was going "in the right direction".
Jade Holden, who fought the seat for the Liberal Democrats, added: "I am really proud of the campaign we have run.
"It has been really positive, and we have got our message out there about lower taxes and support for jobs."
UKIP candidate Denise Baykal said of the result: "This shows that UKIP is here, it's here to stay and we are increasing our vote all the time.
"Hopefully this will mirror our success in the European elections."
Ms Eadie, who was being treated for cancer when she died in November last year at the age of 66, had been an MSP since the Scottish Parliament was established, in 1999.