Edinburgh council election 2022: Lib Dems win three out of four seats in Almond ward

The Lib Dems scored a dramatic success in the first result to be declared in Edinburgh.

Lod Dems Kevin Lang, Louise Young and Lewis Younie all elected in Almond

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The party won three out of the four seats in Almond ward, taking one from the Tories.

Lewis Younie now joins fellow Lib Dems Kevin Lang and Louise Young representing the ward, which stretches from Davidson’s Mains to South Queensferry.

Veteran SNP councilor Norrie Work was also re-elected but Tory candidate James Hill failed to hold onto the seat previously held by party colleague Graham Hutchison.

A delighted Mr Younie said: “I’m very eager to hit the ground running. It’s such a privilege to be able to represent the area where I grew up. There are lots of problems in Almond ward and I’m keen to get to work tackling them.”

Cllr Lang said he was “ecstatic” at the result. “This is a piece of Edinburgh council history. Never before has a party won three councillors in one ward. It is a reflection of the confidence people have in the Lib Dems.”

And he said although it was the Tories who lost their seat, the Lib Dem success was a judgement on the Capital’s SNP-led administration. “It was the Tories we defeated, but the fact the SNP could get barely 20 per cent in a ward which used to be a stronghold for them is equally a verdit on the administration’s record of failure.”

Edinburgh Western Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton also hailed the “historic” result. He said: “I’m over the moon. People recognise the fact when they elect a Lib Dem they get someone who will fight for them all year tound, not just at election time.”