WATCH: Lib Dems win Shetland by-election
Charley-Kai John
Liberal Democrat candidate Beatrice Wishart has won the Shetland by-election.
This means the Lib Dems hold onto their seat at Holyrood, albeit with a reduced majority.
The Lib Dem candidate picked up 5,659 votes, compared to 3,822 for Tom Wills and the SNP.
Results were announced by returning officer Jan Riise in the early hours of Friday morning, with speeches from the winning candidate, Mr Wills and other candidates following soon after.
In what was a hotly-contested election — with a record 10 candidates standing — only the Lib Dems, SNP and independent candidate Ryan Thomson, who picked up 1,286 votes, got their deposits back.
The final turnout for the by-election was 66.5 per cent, with 11,835 Shetlanders casting their votes — there were only 11 rejected ballot papers.
Malcolm Henry Johnson
In 18 months from now, the choice for voters will be much clearer.
Brian Smith
What has worried me all along is the possibility, if Johnson gets a foothold, that the Lib Dems will get back into bed with the Tories. Anyone who doubrts that such a thing could happen should study the famous photo of Alistair Carmichael smiling affectionately at David Cameron in 10 Downing Street. Tavish Scott, give him his due, wasn’t keen on that arrangement; but I can already hear Willie Rennie explaining why it’s a very good idea ..
Brian Smith
… and also Jo ‘Thatcher’ Swinson, of course.
Brian Smith
Goodness, I didn’t think they would start ‘talks’ so soon – see Saturday’s Daily Record!
John M Scott
I think that as the turnout for the by-election was as high as 66.5%, irrespective of who voted for whom; the real winner on Thursday was democracy.
That people exercised their hard won right to vote is so important in today’s cynical world.
Well Done Shetland !
John Tulloch
Once again, the SNP’s “sell the sizzle, not the steak” strategy has failed, despite the vast resources of money and people thrown at it.
Shetlanders will not be fooled by ‘media-savvy’ spin, blarney and razzmatazz.
Brian Smith
What did happen to Wir Shetland?
Malcolm Henry Johnson
They ran out of sizzle.
Peter Hamilton
Wir Shetland became…
yet more Shetland exception…
alism Brian.
That haiku’s offered,
with insular distractions,
and myths remembered.
The new Island Act,
could make all the difference,
to Shetland’s real needs.
And then we may see,
we share the plight of other,
poorer islands too.
Ali Inkster
Again the most vocal cheerleaders for scoti self determination are the most vocal deniers of the same to Shetland, makes you wonder.
Islands Act? airport parking charges, unfair ferry funding. yet more one size fits all policies from a centralizing holyrood politburo. If we are waiting for it to deliver we will wait a long time. But I’m sure there will be a meaningless crumb thrown out before the next election.
Ian Tinkler
Wir Shetland: Just biding time. Shetland has shown no wish whatsoever to stay in an SNP controlled Scotland. If (highly unlikely) Scotland voted for Independence from the UK one would be genuinely deluded to believe Shetland folk would want to be any part of that.
Just look at the effort the SNP threw into Shetland to try and impose Wills on us!!
Just ask yourself why so much money and resources the SNP wasted on the campaign by the SNP and yey Wills still so comprehensively failed!
Peter Hamilton
Scottie beat UKIP! Well done Shetland. Go Ian!
Ian Tinkler
And the Tories beat them both!! Love it, Peter Hamilton, just how can you get it so wrong, again and again, and again and again! ” Election letters 2019 / Vote SNP, stop Boris”
Scott Newcombe
I don’t like the result can we have another one!
Ivor Johnson
Ah! I see what you did there – a humorous reference to the sizable and vocal movement suggesting we shouldn’t leave the EU after the 2016 democratic national referendum result indicated we should. Very good.
Though, to make the two comparable – it would need to come out that having been voted in as a Lib Dem, Beatrice immediately tells the public that was never going to be her intention and joins the UKIP party, announces that it’s her firm belief that any and all local oil/renewables revenue is to be managed by central government from now on and that she will immediately lobby for all ferry funding to reduce across the isles as it is does not demonstrate best value. All the while insisting this was the will of the people and the decision should be respected.
Though, in which case I would agree with you: I wouldn’t like this result and I would like another one.
Bill Adams
Don’t worry, we get another go in 18 months !
Ian Tinkler
I thought Sturgeon was calling for Indy 2 in 2020 or has Tom Wills thumping put her off that idea. A lead of 4% wiped out to a deficit of 15% in four wks of campaigning. Outstanding!!!
Tam Stewart
John Tulloch
You have been and many others from birth been fooled by ‘media-savvy’ spin, blarney and razzmatazz lies deception it’s call the British(english) political and media establishment…your so not savvy born and served with antique silver platter probably all your life.
Marc Petit
FYI 90% of Australians vote…