I'm not sure if I've been the only person at the 'Hands Off Our Parliament' event today who spent half the time frantically searching his phone for the word 'Penicuik', but the news was good in the end. The SNP have gained the seat previously held by Labour, and this is the first actual SNP gain in a local by-election since the Westminster general election last June. Before you get too excited, it's one of those anomalies thrown up by the voting system, where Labour were defending the seat in spite of the fact that the SNP won the popular vote in the ward last time around. As you can see below, there was no big change in either the SNP or Labour vote. But it's still a significant blow for Labour, who have been overtaken by the SNP as the largest single party on Midlothian council. (Labour will presumably cling onto power with the help of their ever-faithful Tory allies.)
Penicuik by-election result (first preferences):
SNP 35.0% (-0.2)
Conservatives 30.2% (+4.0)
Labour 27.6% (+2.0)
Greens 7.2% (+1.6)
The SNP had to wait until the Green and Labour votes were redistributed before being formally declared the winners, but from the moment it became clear the Tories were in second place on first preferences, it was pretty obvious what the final result would be. Ironically, I saw a chap on Twitter claim that this result proves that only the Tories can beat the SNP, but if anything the opposite is true - if Labour had been second on first preferences, they probably would have taken a truck-load of transfers from the Tories, and might just have pipped the SNP on the final count. But the Tories are never likely to get enough Labour transfers to come from behind in a straight SNP v Tory run-off.
Labour and Tory - twa cheeks o the same erse, fighting it out for runners-up.
ReplyDeleteSNP vote holding pretty solid.
Aither brick in the wa.
Should read 'anither' also correct SNP
ReplyDeletewill be denied control by 'informal'
Lab/Tory deal.
Guid oan thum.
ReplyDeleteSid haw, waved cheerio tae yoan rid, blue in musturt tories.
Sake. Guess whose weekend yiv jist spoiled. G'on. Guess. G'on. Ye bunch o' hateful Natbastards. Well, jist wait till he gets in. Wait till he knocks aff fae Conservative Central Office fur the week, efter shaftin' the erse aff o' weans n fishermen. Jist wait. Yae'll no be laughin' then, naw. No be laughin'. Or, if yae urr laughin' it'll be on the ither side o' yer face. Aye. The ither side. The smug side. The hairy side. The side that ye cannae see very well in the mirror when ye dae yer cheap hamecut so it's a bit uneven. Aye, that side. Aw jist. I bet he'll be on the gin the night. Aye. Yev pushed him tae it. Aye. Aw the gin. The whole loat. Wasted aff his vinegar twisted tits he'll be. Before the news even, so he'll no even get a chance tae ignore HOOP. Aw yiz jist.... aw. 'Kin Nats.
ReplyDeleteN here wis me thinkin it preferred meths. Gin is ower highfalutin fur it...
DeleteBunny fit wye ir ye lachin at aw thae fisher fowk wae the John Wayne walk?
DeleteYou get a better class of binmen in nat si controlled councils.
ReplyDeleteSo you'll be applying for the job then. Naw thought not, too classy for you. Keep picking up the dole then.
DeleteNah done ma bit for Britain and retired now with ma British pension which the Tories have just increased as well as us British OAPS getting another tax cut for the third year in a row... I leave the trash to the nat sis, same smell.
DeleteJames, you will recall you mentioned the Sinn Fein and Gay Lick language. Turns out the Sinn Fein initiated a significant poll that was conducted by Translink and over two thirds did not want Gay Lick on their signage. Sinn Fein tried to bury the findings. Just like the Jock nat sis the IRA detest democracy.
[in a Stephen King novel voice] Why are you frightened of me, GWC2? I try to be nice but you run away. Please don't run away. I love you.
DeleteEven Labour voters have realised that the SNP are a better second choice than tory quisling scum. Now fuck off GWC2.
ReplyDeleteI will fuck off soon after brexit and you nat sis are in suicide mode as you were 2014.
DeleteYou lot are not Scottish but probably the sperm of your Irish moaning predecessors who we British allowed in to free you from the bum bhoy priests. And you then try and stick it up our bums. No gratitude.
State of this.
DeleteJust ignore GWC2 it is just a Gutless Clueless unionist Troll. It has never had a Job in it's life which is why it can spend all day on here issuing Brain Dead comments. It really is just a waste of Oxygen.
DeleteSir, you are too generous...
DeleteHey James, heard some labor big wig quit- was fired over brexit...what does this mean?
ReplyDeleteNot a big wig at all. Just a wee prick that cannot accept democracy.
DeleteState of this.
DeleteGreat British pension is it?
ReplyDeleteOne of the lowest in Europe more like and having to pay for NHS prescriptions too.
Except in the part of UK run by the SNP. Why don't you move up here.
We treat our old folk with respect.
Free personal care for the elderly.
Oh, and Jeremy's visit to Penicuik seems to have had the Blair/Thatcher effect. Being a celebrity in Islington
disnae cut it in Midlothian.
We give our old folk palative care. And it is the family who give respect not the government.
DeleteState of this.
Delete1)Hate to burst GWC2's bubble but UK has lowest pension in the developed world. EU has been chasing Westminster for years to double the UK pension thus bringing it into line with 26 other European countries/member states.
Delete2) Jeremy's visit to Penicuik backfired massively when he was asked questions by SNP/Yes member & he couldn't answer. Jeremy's Security then decided to chuck out the Yesser till he stood up & they had to look up to him. Huge roar of laughter & round of applause for Yesser. End of proposed Labour's triumphal meeting
Aye, I'm juist curious what question Jeremy couldnae answer.
DeleteWas it how many Labour MP's in Scotland or does Scotland have the same legal system as the rest of England?
Surely Richard Leonard with his local knowledge could've kept him right - then again mibbe no eh?