Glenrothes by-election: SNP celebrate second win in Fife in matter of months

Zoe Hisbent comfortably won the Glenrothes West and Kinglassie seat on Fife Council, retaining it for the SNP, after Julie Ford stood down as councillor towards the end of last year. She had been a councillor for a decade and served as Depute Provost for five years.

The second win comes just months after Anne Marie Caldwell secured a win for the party in the Buckhaven, Methil and Wemyss Villages ward in November.

Hisbent polled 1167 votes in the by-election which saw a low turn out of just 22.1 per cent.

And Thursday’s poll also saw Reform UK candidate Romano Valente finish in second with 725 votes in a similar result to the previous by-election for Nigel Farage’s party.

Labour’s Jacob Winton was third with 413 votes.

The SNP were the only party to secure four-figure votes in such a low turnout.

The other candidates were: Andrew Butchart, candidate for the Scottish Conservative and Unionists polled 182; Ed Scotcher (Scottish Liberal Democrats) 125 and Danny Smith (Scottish Family Party) just 25.

The result means the SNP’s total number of councillors in Fife is 35, but they remain in opposition, with Labour’s 18 elected members running a minority administration. The Scottish Liberal Democrats have 13, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party having six as well as two Reform party councillors and one independent.

SNP Fife group leader Craig Walker, who is also a councillor for the Glenrothes West and Kinglassie ward, called for change as he celebrated his party’s third by-election victory in the last year.

“I think it means a change in administration for Fife Council,” he said. “Labour were soundly beaten and continue to have this façade that they have the democratic mandate to run the council.

“It sends a message not only to the Labour administration but those who have supported them since 2022.

“It is obvious in my view that what the people of Fife have voted in is an SNP administration. They have to think carefully if they have the support of the people to continue to run the council.

“There is a balance of power now so Labour will be relying on Reform to get business through. My view is that is unsustainable.”

Having served as a councillor for the Kirkcaldy Central ward between 2017 and 2022, Ms Hisbent said she was delighted to return.

She thanked the voters of Glenrothes West and Kinglassie for the faith they had placed in her.

“I will work hard to represent you all to the best of my ability,” she said. “Too often politicians or candidates make promises they can’t keep, or claims that are demonstrably untrue.

“That results in an erosion of trust, something all who believe in democracy must challenge.

“During this by-election campaign, I have committed only to what I can realistically achieve for the residents of this ward – and I am determined to deliver on those commitments with my colleagues across Glenrothes.

“I will strive to make Glenrothes West and Kinglassie a better place for all who live, work and visit here.”

Thursday’s by-election was called after the resignation of SNP councillor Julie Ford due to a change in her personal and professional circumstances.

She had first been elected in a by-election in October 2015 – when she replaced Peter Grant following his election as an MP – and was re-elected in 2017 and 2022.

The total number of ballot papers received during the by-election on Thursday was 2663 and there were 26 rejected ballot papers.