West Lothian has spent the entire STV era on a knife-edge between the SNP and Labour, with neither managing more than a single seat lead over the other. Could that change this year?
West Lothian
By-Election Result: East Livingston and East Calder
A contest arising from the sad passing of a very long serving Labour councillor led to an unsurprising SNP victory, but surprise second place for Conservatives and growth for Greens.
By-Election Preview: East Livingston and East Calder (West Lothian) 5th of August 2021
A second Livingston by-election of the year follows the passing of a long-serving Labour councillor. 2017 results here look very similar to that other by-election – so will the outcome here follow with an SNP win despite Labour winning the 2017 recalc?
Livingston South (West Lothian) By-Election Result
Giving us classic STV action in 2017 with an SNP first preference lead but Labour winning the re-calculation for a single councillor, this result wasn’t nearly so close, as the SNP swept to an easy victory.
Livingston South (West Lothian) By-Election, 11/03/2021
The departure of a very long-serving SNP councillor has this ward as a knife-edge contest between his party and Labour. By-election demographics might favour Labour, recent polling the SNP.