Reform wins first byelection victory in Scotland

Reform UK has won its first byelection victory in Scotland.

David McLennan has become the new councillor for the Whitburn and Blackburn ward of West Lothian Council.

He described the victory as a “vote of faith in Reform”.

The vacancy was created after a Labour councillor, David Russell, quit the job he had won a little over a year ago.

First preference votes for Reform more than doubled compared to the byelection in same ward last year.

McLennan won 1,177 first preference votes, ahead of the SNP’s 1,028 and way ahead of the third-placed Labour candidate on 627.

Labour saw its share of the vote plummet. Last year it won 1,083 first preference votes (30.9 per cent) and this year it won just 627 (17.1 per cent).

The Conservatives also saw their share of the vote fall, but from a relatively low base (6.7 per cent to 3.5 per cent).

The Green and Lib Dems performances were broadly the same as last year.

McLennan was elected on the eighth round of the count.

He said: “This is a clear signal from local residents that they want their community to take a new, positive direction. This is a vote of faith in Reform in Scotland. We have all the momentum in Scottish politics.”

He becomes the party’s first electoral success, as all other representatives both at council and Holyrood level have been defections.