North Lanarkshire

Labour manage another entirely expected win, amidst truly dire turnout and a demographically unsurprising result for Reform UK that could see them with a councillor here at a full election.

An expected Labour victory in one of Scotland’s most peculiar wards comes alongside a very strong result for a newly formed local party that may set them up for future success.

Another by-election following a Labour councillor making the jump to Westminster, something would have to go very wrong for them not to win this one.

A Labour vacancy in a ward that’s never had anything but a Labour lead is guaranteed to go there way. What’ll be interesting here is the performance of the harder-line Pro-Union party.

Labour sweep to an easy victory in their first proper (nuances of STV in mind) council-level victory over the SNP since the change in First Minister, whilst a Conservative collapse put the Greens within touching distance of third place.

The first genuine SNP vs Labour defence at council level of the year looks set to be another Labour victory, on a council the SNP have hardly had their troubles to seek over the past 18 months.

The first by-election since Humza Yousaf took office came under dire circumstances both nationally and locally, leading to exactly the easy Labour victory I’d predicted.

Former councillor, and briefly council leader, Jordan Linden’s departure caps off a period of absolute chaos for the local SNP group, leaving the by-election wide open for a Labour win.

For this dip into the archives, we look at the Curious Case of the Conservative Councillor Who (C)Wasn’t, which led to a dramatic but ultimately pointless little success story for a minor party.