Labour Loses Overall Control Of Glasgow City Council

5 May 2017, 12:17 | Updated: 5 May 2017, 12:36

Labour has already lost overall control of Glasgow City Council after the first three results were declared.

The SNP had been hoping to topple Labour from the Glasgow stronghold where it has held power for more than three decades.

Labour cannot now gain overall control of the council after losing early seats.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already said it would be ''hugely significant'' if her party takes control at Scotland's largest local authority.

Labour hoped to retain majority control of the city chambers, having been in power there since 1980, and fielded 43 candidates for the 85 seats split across 23 multi-member wards.

The SNP fielded 56 candidates, while the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives both had 23 and the Greens had 20.

Labour needed all 43 of its candidates to win in order to maintain overall control.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar said losing seats is ''disappointing'' for the party.

He said: ''I think it's important to remember that Labour have always been underdogs in Glasgow in terms of this election. I don't think it's right to compare this election with 2012. The SNP are clearly the favourite in this election and I think it's important to look at the vote in that context.''

He added that ''losing any seats and candidates in Glasgow is disappointing for us'', but said it is too early to tell if the SNP will win a majority.

He said: ''The SNP have been telling us for weeks that they are guaranteed to win a majority in Glasgow. If they don't, I think it is a bitter blow for them.''

Labour slipped from power in the first three wards declared, losing two seats to the SNP, while the Conservatives doubled their previous tally to two and the Greens also gained.

Former council leader Frank McAveety held on to his seat in Shettleston but two other Labour seats were lost to SNP candidates Laura Doherty and Michelle Ferns and Conservative Thomas Kerr.

SNP group leader Susan Aitken retained her seat in Langside and the party also picked up a new councillor position created by boundary ward changes, with the remaining two seats retained by Labour and the Greens.

In the new ward of Partick East/Kelvindale, Labour, the SNP, the Conservatives and Greens each returned one candidate.