 | 'The emotional case for returning the Royal Yacht to its birthplace is a strong one... But in the hard headed world where the Government makes every penny a prisoner, emotion isn't nearly enough. Just ask lone parents.' John Pennman in the Scotsman, 10 th December 1997. |  |
The old Aberdeen District Council ward of Garthdee was held by Labour's R.D. Ray in 1992 with a majority of 194 over the Liberal Democrats. In the 1995 Unitary Council elections the new Garthdee ward on Aberdeen City council was gained for Labour by Dennis Nicol with a 257 majority over the Liberal Democrats, who increased their vote by 7.2 %.
The Liberal Democrats, with 10 councillors on Aberdeen Council, were looking to win Garthdee. Labour's recent local goverment by-election record had been abysmal and they had lost three wards in a row. In November 1997, the Scottish National Party made a spectacular gain of the safe Labour ward of Rosyth West & Dockyard in Fife. In December the Liberals Democrats won the Hilton ward on Higland Council from Labour in a seat which they had not contested in 1995. This was followed by the loss of the safe Garrowhill ward on Glasgow City Council to the Scottish National Party in January 1998.
The Liberal Democrats were not disappointed in Aberdeen as there was a 20.5 % swing from Labour and they gained Garthdee with over 50 % of the vote and a thumping majority of 378.
There was a straight transfer of votes from Labour to the Liberal Democrats as the Scottish National Party and Conservatives avoided "third party squeeze", both slightly increasing their % votes on 1995.
For Labour, the predictions are dire and Donald Dewar may be regretting having decided to hold the next Local Government elections on the same day as the elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Liberal Democrats would require a swing of only 8 % to wrest Aberdeen South from Labour, while Labour's overall majority on Aberdeen Council could melt away on much less than that.
To quote Iain MacWhirter in the Scotsman 'Politics is starting to get interesting again'.
Following the by-election, the political composition of Aberdeen Council is 28 Labour, 11 Liberal Democrats, 9 Conservatives, 1 Scottish National Party and 1 Independent.
| 26 th February 1998 | 6 th April 1995 | ||||||
| Scott Cassie |  | 774 | 51.2 % | Dennis Nicol |  | 760 | 47.4 % |
| 396 | 26.2 % | Sylvia Ness | | 503 | 31.4 % | |
 | 234 | 15.5 % | Shiela Joss | | 242 | 15.1 % | |
 | 107 | 7.1 % | John Duncan | | 98 | 6.1 % | |
| Lib Dem gain from Lab | Lib Dem maj. | 378 | 25.0 % | Lab gain | Lab maj. | 257 | 16.0 % |
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