Edinburgh council: SNP calls on Labour to 'stand aside' after Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election defeat

SNP group leader Simita Kumar said the city needed strong leadership and urged Labour to “stand aside".

Louise Spence won a surprise victory in the by-election | TSPL

The call follows last week's Colinton/Fairmilehead by-election when the Lib Dems came from fourth place to win a comfortable victory in a ward where they had never had a councillor before.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Labour's former transport convener Scott Arthur after he was elected MP for Edinburgh South West at the general election in July.  The party fielded experienced former councillor and MP Sheila Gilmore as its candidate, but the Lib Dems' Louise Spence was elected with 3,751 votes to Ms Gilmore's 2,055 after all other candidates were eliminated.

Lib Dem group leader Kevin Lang hailed the result as "a sensational and historic victory".

For the SNP, Cllr Kumar compared Labour's defeat to the party's success in the area both at the council elections two years ago and at this year's general election.

She said: "This is a seat Labour won in 2022 and 2024. The result is a devastating rejection of Labour's performance at the council and after just a few months in Downing Street. Voters are rightly angry about Labour councillors trying to cut support for disabled kids, and at Westminster cruel decisions like the two child cap and the removal of the winter fuel allowance.

"Edinburgh deserves better than Cammy Day clinging on, trying to run the council with 11 councillors out of 63. Our city needs strong leadership. Labour needs to stand aside."

Labour now has 11 seats on the council, compared with the SNP's 18 and the Lib Dems' 14.  There are also 10 Greens, nine Conservatives and one independent.

The Lib Dem group is due to meet on Monday to discuss their next step. After winning the previous council by-election in Corstorphine/Murrayfield, caused when former SNP Lord Provost Frank Ross quit, the Lib Dems decided not to challenge Labour or demand roles in the administration for fear the SNP would gain control.

But one source said: "If the Lib Dems fail to step up people will be asking serious questions about 'why are we electing Lib Dem councilors if they're not willing to take responsibility inside the council?'

"There's more mileage to be made politically by being in opposition because you can complain about everything and take responsibility for nothing."