SNP Win Aberdeen Donside Byelection

The Scottish National Party has won the Aberdeen Donside by-election, but with a reduced majority.

RESULT

Mark McDonald (SNP): 9,814

Willie Young (Labour): 7,789

Christine Jardine (Lib Dem)1,940

Ross Thomson (Conservative): 1,791

Otto Inglis (UKIP): 1,128

Rhonda Reekie (Scottish Greens): 410

Dave MacDonald )Scottish National Front): 249

Tom Morrow (Scottish Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship”): 222

James Trolland (Scottish Democratic Alliance): 35

The turnout was 38.8%.

If the SNP had lost the seat the party would  have  lost its notional majority at Holyrood.

There was a swing of just over 9% from the SNP to Labour,  but it is usual to see a swing to the ruling party in a byelection  

Scottish Parliament election, 2011: Aberdeen Donside
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Brian Adam	14,790	55.4	+ 10.6
	Labour	Barney Crockett	7,615	28.5	-3.2
	Conservative	Ross Thomson	2,166	8.1	+0.6
	Liberal Democrats	Millie McLeod	1,606	6	-10
	Independent	David Henderson	317	1.2	+1.2
	National Front	Christopher Willett	213	0.8	+0.8
Majority			7,175	26.9
Turnout			26,707	47.3
	SNP hold		Swing	+6.9

Mark McDonald, a former North East regional MSP who  took the  risk of standing down from the Scottish Parliament to contest the by-election, was the bookmakers favourite to win the seat.

The Liberal Democrats had a small  recovery and pushed the Conservatives  into fourth place.

The media darlings Ukip came fifth indicating that they are having little impact in Scotland .

Does this have any relevance to the forth coming  Ynys Mon Byelection? Probably not

Aberdeen Donside  came as a result of the death of the sitting MSP   Brian Adams  whilst Ynys will come after Ieauan Wyn Jones resignation so that may work against Plaid.

The SNP are running the Scottish Parliament so there was as I said the usual swing against the ruling party But its Labour who are running the Assembly and they may find it hard to blame everything on the coalition at Westminster. But you can bet a pound to a dollar they will.

It is likely that it will be a Labour- Plaid tussle but it will be interesting to see if Ukip fail there as well. If they do they will more and more like an English party and they may find it hard to get any momentum out side England.

But all eyes are back on the Island of Anglesey once again with Plaid ma be seeing its fortunes for the near future being decided in the next few months on the island