Local Election: Tory revival in Fife

The party has picked up seats across the Kingdom, including unlikely places such as Cowdenbeath – and it still has the north-seat seats to be declared.

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Mr Dempsey, who was returned in Dalgety Bay, said: “We are ahead of our predictions so far, so we are understandably delighted.

“People are starting to realise that Conservatives are not two-headed monsters who eat children for breakfast.

“We have a clear message and the public like what we have to say and what we stand for.

“Also this is a clear message that people don’t want a second independence referendum and want to remain part of the Union.

“We will continue to do what we have done previously and take our view and make our decisions in a issue by issue basis.

“And with the seats we already have and hope to continue securing we will be able to have a much greater influence on how Fife Council’s decision-making process.

“This gives us a huge chance to reduce the centralisation that Fife Council has has in the last term and we await the call from other party leaders to discuss this.

“We are no officially the third party in Fife and we are delighted and thankful of the public’s show of faith in us.”