Double by-election success for Labour in East Ayrshire
Labour are celebrating after a double by-election win in East Ayrshire.
Jayne Sangster was elected to represent Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse while Jim Kyle will represent Doon Valley.
The by-elections were called following the resignations of Lillian Jones, MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, and Elaine Stewart, MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, after their successful campaigns at the General Election in July.
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Although Labour had been expected to win in Doon Valley, the result in Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse represents a bit of an upset after the SNP took 38.4 per cent of the vote in the ward during the 2022 election.
In Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse, Labour topped the poll on 1,213 votes - 39.4 per cent of first preference votes and an increase of 11.2 per cent from the 2022 election.
SNP candidate Marie Robertson polled 1,025 votes - 33.3 per cent of first preferences and a decrease of 5.1 per cent from the 2022 election.
Conservative candidate Allan MacDonald was third on 623 votes ahead of Lee Manley of the Lib Dems on 145 and independent candidate Stephen McNamara on 75 votes.
Turnout was 23.4 per cent.
In Doon Valley - where turnout was only 18.6 per cent - Labour topped the poll on 516 votes or 32.2 per cent of first preferences.
That represents an increase of 9.1 per cent on the 2022 election.
Conservative candidate Tracey Clark came second on 410 - 25.5 per cent of first preference votes and an increase of 8.8 per cent on 2022.
SNP candidate Lorraine Pollock came third on 379 votes ahead of independent candidate Jim Ireland on 172 votes, Lib Dem candidate Trevor Grant on 68, Greens candidate Korin Vallance on 48 votes and independent candidate Stef McNamara on nine votes.
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