 | 'We will all remember the last Westminster election and Labour's phrase of 'We must get rid of the Tories.' But the fact is we didn't because we still have a Tory Government.' SNP President Dr Winnie Ewing at the SNP Conference, September 2000. |  |
| 'We will all remember the last Westminster election and Labour's phrase of 'We must get rid of the Tories.' But the fact is we didn't because we still have a Tory Government.' SNP President Dr Winnie Ewing at the SNP Conference, September 2000. | |
On the same night that the Scottish National Party obtained a swing of 16 % from Labour in the Falkirk West Westminster by-election, they lost the ward of Kirn & Hunter's Quay in Argyll & Bute to an Independent.
This ward has had a chequered political history. In 1992, the Tories won the ward from the Liberal Democrats. In a two horse race, Conservative Elizabeth Waddell took 391 votes (54.1 %) compared to 332 (45.9 % ) for Liberal Democrat C. Lambert, giving the Tories a majority of 59.
After local government reorganisation, the new Argyll & Bute Unitary Council was composed of the old Argyll & Bute District Council plus five wards from Dumbarton and one ward made up from existing Argyll & Bute and Dumbarton wards.
In 1995, the Scottish National Party contested the new Kirn & Hunter's Quay ward and their candidate, Elspeth McTaggart beat Conservative District Cllr Elizabeth Waddell by a majority of 39 votes. Elspeth Waddell took 441 votes (37.5 %) compared to 402 (35.2 %) for Elizabeth Waddell , 217 (18.4 %) for Labour's Alexander Kelly and 117 (9.9 %) for Independent William Taylor.
The 1999 election saw another contest between sitting SNP Cllr Elspeth McTaggart and previous Conservative District Cllr Elizabeth Waddell. In a 5.5 % swing to the SNP from the Conservatives, Elspeth McTaggart increased her majority to 167 over her Tory opponent, Elizabeth Waddell. Cllr McTaggart took 43.5 % of the vote compared to 30.2 % for the Tories and 26.3 % for Independent Brian Chennell.
The by-election was caused by the death of Scottish National Party Councillor Elspeth McTaggart who lost a long battle with cancer.
In the by-election the ward was won by an Independent with 45.1 % of the vote while the SNP came second with 23.6 %, down 19.9 % on May 1999. The Tories came third with 14.7 %, dozn 15.5 % on last time. The Liberal Democrats took 11.2 %, for once beating the SSP who came fifth with 5.4 %.
The turnout in May 1999 was 65.2 %
Following the Independent by-election win from the SNP, the composition of Argyll & Bute Council, which is run by a 'Rainbow Alliance' of Lib Dem, SNP, Tory, Independent and Labour is 21 Independents, 6 Liberal Democrats, 4 Scottish National Party, 4 Conservatives, and one Labour councillor.
I am grateful to Alan Clayton for information on the ward and David Freeland for sending the result.
| 21 st December 2000 | 6 th May 1999 | ||||||
| Ind | 325 | 45.1 % | Elspeth McTaggart |  |
548 | 43.5 % | |
|
170 | 23.6 % | Elizabeth Waddell |  |
381 | 30.2 % | |
|
106 | 14.7 % | Brian Chennell | Ind | 331 | 26.3 % | |
 |
81 | 11.2 % | |||||
 |
39 | 5.4 % | |||||
| Ind gain from SNP | Ind maj. | 155 | 21.5 % | SNP win | SNP maj. | 167 | 13.3 % |
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