Contents

Overall 2022 Result

Council-Wide Results

This election finally broke the trend of single-seat leads that had held through previous STV elections. Though they only increased their vote by a tiny amount, the SNP gained two seats to end up with 15 in total. That put them clear of Labour, who stood still on 12. That meant gains came at the Conservatives’ expense, as they dropped three seats and were left with 4 councillors.

Although the Greens again came narrowly ahead of the Lib Dems in vote share, they both ended up competing for Linlithgow. It was the Lib Dems that emerged victorious, benefitting from the retirement of the very long serving Conservative councillor, and electing their first ever West Lothian councillor. The same lone Independent then rounds out the council.

Administration

After the election, a Labour minority administration was formed.

Interactive Map

Overview

Although all three Lothians have a degree of mining heritage, nowhere is that more evident than in West Lothian. I’ve been in or through practically every town and village in the place thanks to a previous boyfriend living in the area, and the “former mining community” vibes are extremely strong. As with many councils, the historic West Lothian differs somewhat from the modern, having lost Bo’ness to Falkirk, but gaining much of what is now Livingston, a major New Town, from Midlothian.

Like mining communities across the UK, West Lothian was strongly Labour for a very long time, with the party consistently holding the parliamentary seat. However, it was also an area of relative strength for the SNP, with then-leader William Wolfe coming within 5% of winning the seat in the October 1974 election. Though a UK-level victory would have to wait until 2015, the SNP won the Livingston seat at the Scottish Parliament in 2007, and have held both seats covering West Lothian since 2011.

The SNP tied with Labour on the district council in 1977, were the largest party in 1992, and otherwise a typically strong opposition presence in a Labour-controlled council. That relative nationalist success stood in stark contrast to long-serving local Labour MP, Tam Dalyell, an opponent of devolution who originated the famous West Lothian Question.

Previous STV Elections

2007
2012
2017

Individual Ward Results

Linlithgow (Ward 1)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Pauline Orr
🟠Lib Dem: Sally Pattle
🔴Labour: Tom Conn
Change vs 2017: +1 Lib Dem, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 57.7%
Electorate: 12435
Valid: 7117 (99.3%)
Spoiled: 53 (0.7%)
Quota: 1780

Candidates

🟢Green: Pamela Barnes
🔴Labour: Tom Conn
🔵Conservative: Chris Horne
🟡SNP: Pauline Orr
🟠Lib Dem: Sally Pattle
🟣Family: Rik Smith

Linlithgow: First Preferences
Linlithgow: Transfers
Linlithgow: Results by Polling District
Linlithgow: Second Preferences
Linlithgow: Two-Candidate Preferred

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh (Ward 2)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Diane Calder
🟡SNP: Janet Campbell
🔴Labour: Ann Davidson
🔵Conservative: Angela Doran-Timson
Change vs 2017: No change (Angela Doran-Timson elected as Labour in 2017)
Turnout: 42.2%
Electorate: 16643
Valid: 6853 (97.6%)
Spoiled: 167 (2.4%)
Quota: 1371

Candidates

🟡SNP: Diane Calder
🟡SNP: Janet Campbell
🟠Lib Dem: Charles Corser
🔴Labour: Ann Davidson
🔵Conservative: Angela Doran-Timson
🔴Labour: Hazel McLeod
Alba: Phil Noble
🟣Family: Kenneth Sutherland
🟢Green: Cam Wright

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: First Preferences
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: Transfers
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: Results by Polling District
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: Second Preferences
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh: Two-Candidate Preferred

Livingston North (Ward 3)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Robert de Bold
🟡SNP: Andrew Miller
🔴Labour: Anne McMillan
🔵Conservative: Alison Adamson
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 40.4%
Electorate: 18312
Valid: 7229 (97.8%)
Spoiled: 166 (2.2%)
Quota: 1446

Candidates

🔵Conservative: Alison Adamson
🟣Family: Robert Bell
🟡SNP: Robert de Bold
🟠Lib Dem: Catrina McDonald
🔴Labour: Anne McMillan
🟡SNP: Andrew Miller
🔴Labour: Michael Rae
🟢Green: Mark Wilkinson

Livingston North: First Preferences
Livingston North: Transfers
Livingston North: Results by Polling District
Livingston North: Second Preferences
Livingston North: Two-Candidate Preferred

Livingston South (Ward 4)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Maira MacAulay
🔴Labour: Lawrence Fitzpatrick
🟡SNP: Moira Shemilt
🔵Conservative: Peter Heggie
Change vs 2017: No change
Electorate: 19101
Turnout: 40.2%
Valid: 7566 (98.5%)
Spoiled: 118 (1.5%)
Quota: 1514

Candidates

Independent: Eddie Anderson
🔴Labour: Lawrence Fitzpatrick
🟢Green: Cameron Glasgow
🟣Family: Margaret Hamilton
🔵Conservative: Peter Heggie
🟠Lib Dem: Caron Lindsay
🟡SNP: Maira MacAulay
🟡SNP: Moira Shemilt
Independent: Eddie Millar
🔴Labour: Craig Smith

Livingston South: First Preferences
Livingston South: Transfers
Livingston South: Results by Polling District
Livingston South: Second Preferences
Livingston South: Two-Candidate Preferred

East Livingston and East Calder (Ward 5)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Carl John
🔴Labour: Danny Logue
🟡SNP: Veronica Smith
🔵Conservative: Damian Doran-Timson
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 37.3%
Electorate: 17970
Valid: 6587 (98.2%)
Spoiled: 121 (1.8%)
Quota: 1318

Candidates

Independent: Frank Anderson
🔵Conservative: Damian Doran-Timson
🟢Green: Neal Drummond
🟠Lib Dem: Robert Howden
🟣Family: Ruth Hutchison
🟡SNP: Carl John
🔴Labour: Danny Logue
🔴Labour: Andy Rafferty
🟡SNP: Veronica Smith
🟡SNP: Thomas Ullathorne

East Livingston and East Calder: First Preferences
East Livingston and East Calder: Transfers
East Livingston and East Calder: Results by Polling District
East Livingston and East Calder: Second Preferences
East Livingston and East Calder: Two-Candidate Preferred

Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley (Ward 6)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Pauline Clark
🔴Labour: Cathy Muldoon
🔴Labour: Craig Meek
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 41.1%
Electorate: 12714
Valid: 5072 (97.2%)
Spoiled: 148 (2.8%)
Quota: 1269

Candidates

🟢Green: Neil Barnes
🟡SNP: Pauline Clark
🔵Conservative: Elaine Fairbairn
🟡SNP: Greg McCarra
🔴Labour: Craig Meek
Alba: Hani Mohamed
🔴Labour: Cathy Muldoon
🟠Lib Dem: Gillian Pattle

Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: First Preferences
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: Transfers
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: Results by Polling District
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: Second Preferences
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley: Two-Candidate Preferred

Whitburn and Blackburn (Ward 7)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Jim Dickson
🔴Labour: George Paul
🔴Labour: Kirsteen Sullivan
🟡SNP: Mary Robertson Dickson
Change vs 2017: +1 SNP, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 37.4%
Electorate: 16945
Valid: 6136 (96.8%)
Spoiled: 204 (3.2%)
Quota: 1228

Candidates

🟡SNP: Jim Dickson
🟡SNP: Mary Robertson Dickson
🔵Conservative: Bruce Fairbairn
🟠Lib Dem: Derek Pattle
🔴Labour: George Paul
🟢Green: Carole Racionzer
🔴Labour: Kirsteen Sullivan

Whitburn and Blackburn: First Preferences
Whitburn and Blackburn: Transfers
Whitburn and Blackburn: Results by Polling District
Whitburn and Blackburn: Second Preferences
Whitburn and Blackburn: Two-Candidate Preferred

Bathgate (Ward 8)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Harry Cartmill
🟡SNP: William Boyle
🟡SNP: Pauline Stafford
🔴Labour: Tony Pearson
Change vs 2017: +1 SNP, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 41.8%
Electorate: 18082
Valid: 7413 (98.2%)
Spoiled: 138 (1.8%)
Quota: 1483

Candidates

🟡SNP: William Boyle
🔴Labour: Harry Cartmill
Alba: Gordon Dent
🟢Green: Siobhan Flannigan
🔵Conservative: Charles Kennedy
🟠Lib Dem: John MacKenzie
🔴Labour: Tony Pearson
🟡SNP: Pauline Stafford

Bathgate: First Preferences
Bathgate: Transfers
Bathgate: Results by Polling District
Bathgate: Second Preferences
Bathgate: Two-Candidate Preferred

Armadale and Blackridge (Ward 9)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: Stuart Borrowman
🟡SNP: Lynda Kenna
🔴Labour: Andrew McGuire
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 40.4%
Electorate: 13162
Valid: 5256 (98.9%)
Spoiled: 58 (1.1%)
Quota: 1315

Candidates

Independent: Stuart Borrowman
🟢Green: Sophie Brodie
🟤Independence for Scotland: John Hannah
🟡SNP: Lynda Kenna
🟠Lib Dem: Helen MacKenzie
🔴Labour: Andrew McGuire
🔵Conservative: Chris Terry

Armadale and Blackridge: First Preferences
Armadale and Blackridge: Transfers
Armadale and Blackridge: Results by Polling District
Armadale and Blackridge: Second Preferences
Armadale and Blackridge: Two-Candidate Preferred
Armadale and Blackridge: Two-Party Preferred

Data Notes

Changes in Affiliation

Andrew McGuire (Armadale and Blackridge), from 🔴Labour to ⚪Independent; left the party citing a “toxic atmosphere” in January 2024.

By-Elections

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh (Ward 2) - 1st of December 2022

Councillors and Key Stats

1 Councillor Elected:
🔴Labour: Tony Boyle
Change vs 2022 (notional): Labour Gain from SNP
Change vs vacating: Labour Hold
Turnout: 27.2% (-15.0)
Electorate: 16545
Valid: 4476 (99.5%)
Spoiled: 24 (0.5%)
Quota: 2239
3 Continuing Councillors:
🟡SNP: Diane Calder
🟡SNP: Janet Campbell
🔵Conservative: Angela Doran-Timson

Candidates

🔴Labour: Tony Boyle
🟠Lib Dem: Peter Clarke
🟢Green: Chris Cotter
⚫Alba: Debbie Ewen
⚪Independent: Chris Horne
⚪Independent: Steven Laidlaw
🔵Conservative: Douglas Smith
🟡SNP: Thomas Ullathorne

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: Context

Labour councillor Ann Davidson sadly passed in early September, having only been elected for the first time in May.
Read the BBS pre-election preview here.
Read the BBS results analysis here.

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: First Preferences
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: Transfers
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: Results By Polling District
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: Second Preferences
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh By-Election: Two-Candidate Preferred

Armadale and Blackridge (Ward 9) - 22nd of August 2024

Councillors and Key Stats

1 Councillor Elected:
🔴Labour: Susan Manion
Change vs 2022 (notional): Labour Gain from Independent
Change vs vacating: Labour Gain from Independent
Turnout: 20.7% (-19.7)
Electorate: 13371
Valid: 2748 (99.2%)
Spoiled: 22 (0.8%)
Quota: 1375
2 Continuing Councillors:
🟡SNP: Lynda Kenna
⚪Independent: Andrew McGuire (elected as Labour)

Candidates

🟡SNP: Keith Barclay
🟠Lib Dem: Douglas Butler
🟤Independence for Scotland: John Hannah
🔴Labour: Susan Manion
🟣Reform UK: David McLennan
🟢Green: Adam Rafferty
🔵Conservative: Douglas Smith

Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: Context

Long-serving Independent councillor Stuart Borrowman sadly passed away in May 2024.
Read the BBS pre-election preview here.
Read the BBS results analysis here.

Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: First Preferences
Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: Transfers
Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: Results By Polling District
Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: Second Preferences
Armadale and Blackridge By-Election: Two-Candidate Preferred