Scottish Conservatives defeat SNP in Aberdeen South with historic by-election win

The Scottish Conservatives won a by-election for the first time in almost 60 years as they defeated the SNP.

The seat, which was vacated by former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn when he became an MSP, was won by Douglas Lumsden – the first time the Tories have won a by-election in Scotland since 1967.

Lumsden, himself an MSP, must now stand down at Holyrood after a recent rule change to prevent so-called ‘double jobbing’.

He defeated SNP candidate Richard Thomson, a former MP for Gordon, by more than 6,000 votes, with the Tories taking more than half of all ballots cast on a turnout of just 38 per cent.

The Conservatives had sought to make the by-election about the north east’s oil and gas industry, with UK leader Kemi Badenoch making a number of visits to the Granite City during the campaign.

“This result sends a clear message to Labour and the SNP: their war on North Sea oil and gas must end,” Lumsden tweeted.

“It’s an honour to be elected as your MP. I’ll fight every day for Aberdeen, our jobs and our energy industry.”

There was better news for the SNP in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry where Lara Bird held onto the seat vacated by Stephen Gethins, who is now a Scottish Government minister.

Bird won with a majority of more than 5,000 over the Tories, with Reform UK in third place and Labour pushed into fourth.

She said voters had “rejected the politics of division and hate” and made it clear that Scotland's future “lies with independence”.

But it was a bad night for the SNP in Aberdeen, where the party recently won the city’s three Holyrood seats.

SNP leader John Swinney said: “It is clearly disappointing not to have won in Aberdeen South, and I offer my heartfelt thanks to Richard Thomson and his dedicated team of activists for their efforts.
 
“But while we will continue delivering on the people’s priorities, the contrast with the Westminster system could not be clearer.
 
“The Labour British government is about to descend into chaos and infighting yet again, in the aftermath of the Makerfield by-election result.
 
“Rather than supporting people with the cost of living crisis, Westminster will once again be focused on itself.”

Breakdown of the results in Aberdeen South:

Douglas Lumsden (Scottish Conservatives) – 14,308

Richard Thomson (SNP) – 8,258

Jo Hart (Reform UK) – 2,478

Nurul Hoque Ali (Scottish Labour) – 1,550

Mel Sullivan (Lib Dems) – 1,270

Jorg Shelton-Ecksten (Greens) – 974