Edinburgh by-election: Voters took their chance to pass judgement on Tories – Angus Robertson

Last week Tory MSP Miles Briggs wrote an Evening News column headlined “Edinburgh by-election is chance to pass judgement on SNP/Labour”, and the public certainly did just that.

Miles Briggs's hopes of Conservative victory in the Craigentinny and Duddingston by-election were dashed as the SNP increased its majority (Picture: Greg Macvean)

Voters in the Craigentinny-Duddingston ward elected SNP candidate Ethan Young with an increased percentage of the vote while the Tory share dropped. That is not the result that Miles Briggs and the Tories were hoping for, but recent national opinion polls show they are going backwards under new leader Douglas Ross.

As things now stand, the Tories have to look over their shoulders and should fear being overtaken in second place by the poorly performing Labour Party. According to projections by the excellent ‘Ballot Box Scotland’ website, the Tories could end up with only one constituency seat in the country, with Labour facing a wipeout.

Amongst the seats the Tories are projected to lose is Edinburgh Central. Sitting MSP Ruth Davidson has already decided she would prefer to be in an unelected parliament where, as a Baroness, she doesn’t have to face the electorate.

Unsurprisingly the Tories haven’t yet found a candidate prepared to take the hospital pass. With a wafer-thin 610-vote majority, the Conservatives will face an energetic campaign from the SNP who as challengers in the two-horse race will throw everything at the contest.

As the recently selected SNP Edinburgh Central candidate I hope to emulate the lead of my hard-working colleague Ethan Young in Craigentinny-Duddingston. The people of Edinburgh Central will have their chance to pass judgement on the Tories.

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