 | 'The Lib-Dems will suffer unless they break from the apron strings of New Labour.' Jimmy Reid in the Herald, 25 th February 1998. |  |
| 'The Lib-Dems will suffer unless they break from the apron strings of New Labour.' Jimmy Reid in the Herald, 25 th February 1998. | |
Eyemouth is an east coast fishing port located between Dunbar and Berwick. Until 1996 it was located in the Tory stronghold of Berwickshire, whose county town, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, was lost to Scotland in 1482.
In the 1992 District Council elections the Conservatives won 8 wards, Independents 3 and the Liberal Democrats one ward. The sole Liberal Democrat representative on Berwickshire council was David Aitchison, Councillor for the Eyemouth East ward where he was elected unopposed. In 1995 he was elected to the new Eyemouth Landward ward of Scottish Borders Council with a majority of 210 over Labour's Lawrence Pettit.
Several years ago, the Tories might have hoped to succeed David Aitchison. However, Conservative fortunes have fallen dramatically in recent years. From holding 9 wards on the 12 seat Berwickshire Council in 1988 and 8 in 1992, they only won 3 wards in the 58 seat Scottish Borders Council in 1995. They did not contest the by-election.
The new Independent Councillor for Eyemouth Landward is Ian Waddell, a well know figure locally, who is also Honorary Provost of the town. He took 242 votes, exactly double that of his nearest rival, the Independent William Grant, with the Liberal Democrats Brian Park falling to third place with 129 votes.
Neither the Conservatives nor Labour felt strong enough to put up candidates for the by-election. The Scottish National Party's Maureen Finlay obtained 52 votes (8.6 %).
The Liberal Democrats took 21.4 % of the vote, down from 69.3 % in 1995. The result is a poor one in their heartland Scottish Borders area where the Lib Dems hold the two Parliamentary seats. They have some consolation in being beaten by such a well known local figure but will be disappointed to have fallen to third place. The result represents a 47.3 % swing from Liberal Democrat to Independent. With the political parties only taking 30.0 % of the vote in Eyemouth Landsward, no wide ranging national conclusions can be drawn from the result.
However, the by-election was the first of a series of blows to Liberal Democrat morale. When their Scottish conference opened in Inverness on the following day, only 12 delegates turned up at the 800-seat Eden theatre. Two days later, the Mail on Sunday published a MORI poll showing Liberal Democrat support down to 9 %, neck and neck with the Tories. Based on this poll, the Lib Dems could lose five of their 10 seats, Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale, Argyll & Bute, Gordon, Ross, Skye & Inverness West, and Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross, all to the SNP.
The turnout at the by-election was 42.3 %, up from 37.2 % in 1995.
Scottish Borders Council is run by a 'Rainbow Alliance' of Independents, Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party and Labour. Following the by-election, the political composition, (with the 1995 figures in brackets) is 28 (30) Independents, 16 (15) Liberal Democrats, 7 (8) Scottish National Party, 4 (2) Labour, and 3 (3) Conservatives.
I am grateful to Allan Old for sending me the results.
The Independent candidate who is vice chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board, polled 282 votes, double the 141 cast for William Grant, also Independent.
Brian Park, who was bidding to hold the seat for the Liberal Democrats following the death of David Aitchison, collected 129 votes.
The Scottish National Party's Maureen Finlay polled 52 votes in the 42.3 % turnout.
| 26 th March 1998 | 6 th April 1995 | ||||||
| Ian Waddell | Ind | 282 | 46.7 % | David Aitchison |  | 377 | 69.3 % |
| William Grant | Ind | 141 | 23.3 % | Lawrence Pettitt |  | 167 | 30.7 % |
| Brian Park | | 129 | 21.4 % | ||||
| Maureen Finlay |  | 52 | 8.6 % | ||||
| Ind gain from Lib Dem | Ind maj. | 141 | 23.3 % | Lib Dem gain | Lib Dem maj. | 210 | 38.6 % |
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