Contents
Overview
Past Results
Individual Ward Results:
Linlithgow (Ward 1)
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh (Ward 2)
Livingston North (Ward 3)
Livingston South (Ward 4)
East Livingston and East Calder (Ward 5)
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley (Ward 6)
Whitburn and Blackburn (Ward 7)
Bathgate (Ward 8)
Armadale and Blackridge (Ward 9)
Data Notes
Changes in Affiliation
By-Elections:
Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh (Ward 2) - 1st of December 2022
Armadale and Blackridge (Ward 9) - 22nd of August 2024
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
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.
Individual Ward Results
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
If you’re unsure about what any of this data means, a quick explanation is given in this piece.
By-Elections
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
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.