Lib Dems in pole position after council election win in Bearsden
Scottish Liberal Democrats candidate Ben Langmead has won the highly contested Bearsden South by-election, putting the party in pole position to gain the Strathkelvin & Bearsden parliamentary seat at May’s election.
The party won 38.1% of first preferences, up 14.9%. This was more than twice as many first preference votes as any other party, with the SNP slumping to 17.2%, Reform UK underperforming on 15.5% and Labour polling just 14.2%. Meanwhile the Conservatives lost two thirds of their vote share, finishing on just 6.2%.
At the 2022 council election this ward previously saw the SNP, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats separated by just 17 votes.
Ben Langmead said:
"I am honoured to have been successfully elected to represent the people of Bearsden South.
"My team and I knocked on every single door in the ward and that has given me such a valuable insight into the things that matter most to people here, from the state of the roads to issues with local healthcare.
"I am proud to be part of an astonishing victory by the Lib Dems and I look forward to serving the people of Bearsden South."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:
"In 2024 Jim Wallace chaired our hugely successful general election campaign which won a remarkable victory in Mid Dunbartonshire. Today we are mourning his passing but if he were here I'm sure he would be delighted to see us growing even further in this part of the world.
“Ben Langmead will be a true local champion for people in Bearsden. The SNP slumped, Reform underperformed, the Conservatives collapsed - and it's clear that Labour has no chance of winning here.
"Meanwhile Ben led a campaign focused on the issues that mattered most to local people and that has delivered us a fantastic victory in a ward where we came third last time.
“This is a fantastic omen for Adam Harley’s campaign to win Strathkelvin & Bearsden in May. Scottish Liberal Democrats are now in pole position.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Strathkelvin & Bearsden, Adam Harley said:
“This is a huge result and a clear verdict from voters in Bearsden.
"People want representatives who they can trust to listen on the doorstep and then put in the work to get things done. They're fed up of an SNP government and an SNP run council that aren't delivering.
"I will work tirelessly alongside MP Susan Murray and councillor Ben Langmead to make things better for our local community. This result proves that in May's Holyrood election, Strathkelvin & Bearsden is a straight fight between the SNP and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.”
Mid Dunbartonshire MP Susan Murray said:
"I'm looking forward to working with Ben to ensure everyone in Bearsden has access to reliable, local healthcare. Together we will hold the SNP's feet to the fire on behalf of the people of Bearsden South."
