 | 'It was in December, 1999, that the executive announced that maintenance of Scotland's trunk roads was being put out to tender, with the country being divided into four sectors, the south-west, south-east, north-west and north-east. South Lanarkshire understands that the executive plans to award the contract for the south-west sector to Amey Highways of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.' John MacCalman in the Herald, 10 th January 2001. |  |
Clydesdale SNP were celebrating a spectacular victory in the Stonehouse ward of South Lanarkshire Council when John Young overturned a Labour majority of 172 to win the seat by 746 votes with a massive swing of 26.65 % from Labour to SNP.
The town of Stonehouse is located by the A71 Edinburgh to Irvine road, just off the A74, a couple of miles south of Larkhall. Stonehouse was in the former Hamilton District Council area, but is part of Clydesdale constituency. It is the most marginal Labour council seat in Clydesdale.
In 1992 Hamilton District Council returned 15 Labour, 2 Conservative, 2 Lib Dem and 1 Independent Labour Councillors. Labour gained two wards (one from an Independent and one from the SNP) and lost two (one to the Conservatives and one to Independent Labour).
In 1992, the Hamilton District Council ward of Stonehouse was held for Labour by Richard Gibb who took 1,025 votes (63.7 %) giving him a majority of 583 (36.3 %) over the Scottish National Party's G. Sutherland with 502 votes (31.2 %).
Following local government reorganisation for the 1995 election, South Lanarkshire Council was formed from the old Clydesdale, East Kilbride and Hamilton District Councils and 13 new wards made up from existing Glasgow wards. Labour won 61 wards with 56.6 % of the vote. The SNP took 8 wards with 26.6 % of the vote, while the Lib Dems gained two wards with 7.7 % and the Tories took two wards with 6.9 %.
The South Lanarkshire ward of Stonehouse was won in 1995 by Labour's Richard Gibb with 1,276 votes (61.6 %) giving him a majority of 480 (23.2 %) over the SNP's John Young who took 796 votes (38.4 %).
In 1999 the number of seats on the local authority was reduced from 73 to 67. Labour won 54 wards (down seven), the SNP won 10 (up two) the Tories two (no change) and the Lib Dems one (down one).
In Stonehouse in 1999, there was a 7.6 % swing from Labour to the SNP. Cllr Gibb held on to the ward but his majority over John Young was reduced from 480 (23.2 %) to 172 (8.1 %). Cllr Gibb took 1,039 votes (48.8 %) compared to 867 (40.7 %) for the SNP's John Young. Also standing was Conservative Elizabeth Colley who took 224 votes (10.5 %).
The by-election was caused by the death of Cllr Gibb, who was Depute Provost of South Lanarkshire Council, on the 27 th of November.
With Labour's majority over the SNP having been cut by from 36.3 % in 1992 to 8.1 % in 1999, the by-election in Stonehouse promised to be an interesting contest. The SNP required a swing of 4.1 % to win this ward from Labour and managed no less than 26.65 %. The winning SNP candidate here was John Young who contested the seat in 1995 and 1999. Cllr John Young is a graphic designer with North Lanarkshire and the chairman of Stonehouse branch SNP. He took 1197 votes, 72.6 % of those cast, to give him a majority of 746 (45.3 %).
Labour selected Mary Bow, a receptionist at a beauty salon and the election agent for Clydesdale MP, Jimmy Hood. Her candidature was reported to have been 'controversial'. She took 451 votes, just 27.4 % of those cast, and down by 21.1 % from 1999.
The question which Lanarkshire MPs like Helen Liddell, Dr John Reid and Frank Roy will be posing is whether the swing was a local factor or due to the Ahern affair. If the latter, there could be a serious knock-on effect at the next general election.
Following the SNP by-election gain by John Young of the SNP in Stonehouse, the political composition of South Lanarkshire Council is 53 Labour, 11 Scottish National Party, two Conservatives and one Liberal Democrat.
The electorate in Stonehouse is believed to be 3379. The turnout was 46.6 %, down from 63.6 % in 1999.
I am grateful to Lindsay Addison, David Freeland and other contacts for information on the by-election and to Peter Craig for sending the result.
Jim Wright SNP PPC for Clydesdale, speaking at Stonehouse congratulated John Young on his sensational victory at the recent Stonehouse by-election where the SNP spectacularly overturned a Labour majority of some 172 into an SNP victory to the tune of 746 votes to give Stonehouse an SNP councillor for the first time. Jim wished john well and thanked the people of Stonehouse for their support.
Turning to his main theme for the evening Jim went on to tell the meeting that he utterly condemned the actions of the South Lanarkshire Labour administration in its handling and acceptance of the open cast developments proposed for the Douglas / Rigside/ Glespin area.
Not only was proper consultation procedures ignored and local residents views handled with disdain, the acceptance of the Scottish Coal plans for two further open cast operations at Glespin and Douglas water was ill conceived and definitely not in the best interests of Clydesdale as a whole or indeed the vital area of Douglas valley.
'It is folly" he said , "on one hand to be pouring funds into tourist projects like New Lanark or the townscaping projects (welcomed) of Biggar and Douglas while on the other hand allowing further desecration of the beautiful Douglas valley'.
Jim went on to say that what is missing is the lack of a coordinated strategic plan for the development of clydesdale and the setting of sensible priorities in consultation with those most concerned. It is all very well to argue that the open cast operations will provide jobs but at what price to the environment , the job prospects in the fragile hotel and tourist trade. Or indeed the chances of attracting new modern service or light industries to Clydesdale.
'I believeÓ, said Jim, Òthat Clydesdale has great potential for a vibrant tourist industry which promotes ClydesdaleÕs great history and association with the romans, william wallace, the wars of independence, covenanters etc., And this potential will only be destroyed by the site of the endless number of dross-laden lorries trundling round our beautiful countryside.
Jim fully agreed with the recent report to local business groups by Richard Carmichael that ClydesdaleÕs vital tourist industry is being virtually ignored by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley tourist board and starved of investment and imagination by Labour controlled South Lanarkshire Council and the Scottish Executive.
| 15 th February 2001 | 6 th May 2000 | ||||||
| John Young |  |
1197 | 72.6 % | Richard Gibb |  |
1,039 | 48.8 % |
| Mary Bow | |
451 | 27.4 % | John Young | |
867 | 40.7 % |
| Elizabeth Colley |  |
224 | 10.5 % | ||||
| SNP gain From Lab | SNP maj. | 746 | 45.2 % | Lab win | Lab maj. | 172 | 8.1 % |
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