SNP win the Scottish council elections

The full results of last week's Scottish council election have been published. They show that the Scottish National Party (SNP) secured 610,454 first preference votes, an increase from the 503,233 it won in 2012. However, given a higher turnout this time the party's share of the vote was 32.3% in both elections. The SNP won 32% of the first preference votes, the Conservatives finished second overall on 25%, Labour finished with 20%. Scottish Labour saw its share of the first preference votes fall from 31.4% and its number of seats from 394 to 262. Labour also lost overall control of four councils where it previously had a majority, including Glasgow. 

The SNP party won 431 seats, 155 more than their nearest rivals, the Conservatives. The Scottish Green Party saw progress in areas, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, with the party winning a total of 19 seats, which is five more than in 2012. Nevertheless, with a UK General Election taking place on May 8th 2017, it is clear that the SNP will have to work very hard to defend its remarkable success in winning 56 out of Scotland's 59 seats in the 2015 General Election. However, Derek Mackay, who has been announced as the party's campaign director for next month's general election, said the council election results would be an "excellent springboard". He added: "The SNP has won the local elections emphatically, with more seats than any other party, an increased and higher share of the vote than any other party and as the largest party in more councils than any other party."

Images below: First preference votes image from BBC. SNP win Scottish council elections image from SNP.