Scottish Labour wins two by-elections as SNP slumps to 18 defeats in row

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Scottish Labour has won two more council by-elections as the SNP slumped to 18 losses in a row. Anas Sarwar's party won seats in Fife and West Dunbartonshire.

Both seats were vacated after Labour councillors became MPs at the general election. It follows three by-election victories for Labour in Glasgow last week.

A Labour source said: "After 18 council by-election defeats in a row, the SNP must be realising that John Swinney's steadying of the ship doesn't work when there is a gaping hole below the waterline."

Labour won the West Fife and Coastal Villages election by just two votes. Karen Beaton took 881 votes, just edging the SNP's Paul Steele on 879. The by-election took place after sitting councillor Graeme Downie was elected MP for Dunfermline and Dollar in July.

William Rooney won the Kilpatrick by-election for Labour by a wider margin. He took 814 votes to the SNP's 564 at the sixth round. Reform UK was in third on 200. Previous councillor Douglas McAllister stepped down after winning the West Dunbartonshire constituency at the general election.

After winning two Dundee City Council by-elections in early October, the SNP has since gone on a poor losing run. This follows the party losing dozens of seats at July's general election and only returning nine MPs.

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