 | 'Once Mrs Thatcher, who described it as her 'flagship' had gone, the poll tax was doomed.' The Election: A Voters' Guide Forth Estate Ltd 1992. |  |
| 'Once Mrs Thatcher, who described it as her 'flagship' had gone, the poll tax was doomed.' The Election: A Voters' Guide Forth Estate Ltd 1992. | |
Until today, local government by-elections had generated little excitement with the Scottish National Party making the sole gain this year, in Invergordon.
All that changed tonight. Thursday 10 th October will be remembered as the night when the Scottish electorate took revenge on the Labour party for its astonishing U-turns on its Scottish devolution policy.
While Labour had hoped to hold their marginal ward 11 in the Greenock area of Inverclyde Council, the Liberal Democrats romped home with almost 60% of the vote and a 528 majority over Labour. Labour were doubly humiliated as they also lost the safe Harbour ward in Edinburgh to the SNP.
The swing from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in Greenock was a massive 20.0%. This is the Liberal Democrats first by-election victory this year and will be a most welcome result to prove that they cannot be written off. The victory brings the number of Liberal Democrats to 6 on Inverclyde Council where they form the main opposition to the ruling Labour group which is now reduced to 13 seats.
Jim Wallace MP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, commenting on last night's by-election results in three council wards - including the gain of a sixth seat on Inverclyde Council - said:
'Yet again, we have proved our capacity to win.
'I am delighted at the decisive victory for our candidate, Sandy Nimmo, in Inverclyde, and overall we are very satisfied by the evening's performance in two other seats, where we have increased our vote.
'Overall, Liberal Democrats emerged as the most popular party on the night.
'These results, following on from an opinion poll boost at the beginning of the week, will ensure that Liberal Democrats go into the last lap before the General Election with morale boosted and expectations rising.'
| 10 th October 1996 | 6 th April 1995 | ||||||
| Alexander Nimmo |  | 955 | 58.8% | Fiona Cook |  | 832 | 47.4% |
| 426 | 26.2% | Alexander Nimmo | | 703 | 40.0% | |
 | 164 | 10.1% | Stephen Hilton | | 221 | 12.6% | |
| Ind Lab | 79 | 4.9%% | |||||
| Lib gain from Lab | Lib maj. | 529 | 32.6% | Lab gain | Lab maj. | 362 | 7.4% |
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