Highland

“The Isle of Mists” indeed: it’s hard to get a clear view of what might happen here, with all of the SNP, Lib Dems and Independents potentially in the running.

A relatively quick return to a ward that voted last year looks set to be a contest between the Lib Dems and two popular Independents to pick up the seat.

An absolutely stonking Lib Dem victory hands them a seat without the need to pick up a single transfer, albeit their “Conservative-turned Independent-turned Lib Dem” candidate may have been pitch-perfect to pick up votes everywhere at a by-election.

In Highland, you always need to consider Independents and personal votes. Well, this time the Lib Dems are standing a former Independent who had a clear popular vote, so they’ve probably landed the win already.

Labour manage to squeeze out a last-round win over the SNP, as bad blood between the Pro-Independence parties costs the SNP too much Green support to hold on.

A rare double vacancy saw a messy scrap for the seats with the Lib Dems and an Independent eventually emerging victorious. Meanwhile, might Reform UK have learned that Scotland is different to England?

A rare double vacancy with a lengthy ballot paper is likely to see the Lib Dems, Independents and SNP scrapping for the two seats available. Reform UK continue to try to get serious about Scotland, but make a bit of a ham of it by standing two candidates, not realising how the voting system works.

The sad passing of a popular local Independent couldn’t give any other result except the election of a new Independent, but some recovery compared to last year made this a rare bright spot for the SNP lately.

The sad passing of a popular local Independent with a near quarter-century of service under his belt seems likely to go to another Independent, though failing that, it would be the Lib Dems.

What was pegged as the SNP’s best bet at a by-election win for a long time ends in tears, with an excruciatingly poor first preference tally, leaving an Independent and the Lib Dems to fight it out for the seat.