Labour held on to two seats in North Lanarkshire Council after by-elections were held to fill vacancies left by former councillors who were elected as Members of Parliament earlier this year. The Fortissat and Mossend & Holytown wards saw Labour emerge victorious, despite low voter turnout in both constituencies. Clare Quigley, who previously represented Fortissat after winning a by-election in 2017, will be returning to the council chamber as the councillor for Fortissat. Her party colleague, Helena Gray, secured the seat for Mossend & Holytown.
In the Fortissat ward, Councillor Quigley received 807 first-preference votes, successfully retaining the seat previously held by Kenneth Stevenson, who is now the MP for Airdrie & Shotts. Mary McIntosh of Progressive Change North Lanarkshire came in second, followed by Brendan McAleese of the SNP. The turnout in Fortissat was 17.9%. In Mossend & Holytown, Councillor Gray garnered 616 first-preference votes, narrowly defeating Shahnawaz Khan of the SNP. The ward saw a turnout of 15.8%.
Other candidates in the by-elections included Billy Acheson of the British Unionists, Conservative candidate Sheila Cameron, and Liberal Democrat Leigh Butler in the Fortissat ward. In Mossend & Holytown, Reform candidate Duncan MacMillan, Conservative candidate Aimee Alexander, Liberal Democrat John Cole, and UKIP candidate Neil Wilson were also on the ballot. The returning officer, Des Murray, congratulated both Councillor Quigley and Councillor Gray on their election victories and looks forward to their contributions at the next council meeting.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and low voter turnout, Labour’s success in retaining these seats underscores the party’s continued support in North Lanarkshire. With the new councillors in place, the council is poised to address the pressing issues facing the community and work towards a brighter future for the residents of North Lanarkshire.