General Election: SNP duo heading back to Westminster

John McNally retains the Falkirk constituency seat for the SNP

Shortly after 2am the smile on John McNally’s face told everyone he was going back to Westminster to carry on with the work for Falkirk he began in 2015.

While Martyn Day and his supporters had to wait another couple of hours before they heard that he too would again be joining the now depleted band of Scottish Nationalists MPs in the House of Commons. representing Linlithgow and East Falkirk.

However, the surprise of the night locally was how the SNP’s lost votes nearly all went to the Conservatives with their share of the vote more than doubling since the last General Election.

Martyn Day is returned for the SNP in Linlithgow and East Falkirk

John McNally polled 20,952 votes (38.9 per cent), which was down from 34,831 (57.72 per cent) in 2015. However, his 4923 majority remains one of most solid in Scotland, albeit down from 19,701 previously.

Craig Martin increased Labour’s share from 15,130 (25.07 per cent) in 2015 to 16,029 (29.8 per cent).

However, Callum Laidlaw saw a hugh increase in the Tory vote from 7325 (12.13 per cent) to 14,088 (26.2 per cent).

Other were: Austin Reid for the Liberal Democrats with 1120 (2.1 per cent), Debra Pickering (Green) with 908 (1.7 per cent) and Stuart Martin (UKIP) with 712 (1.3 per cent).

Martyn Day’s majority was also cut by almost 10,000 to 2919. This time around he polled 20,388 (36.4 per cent) compared to 32,055 (52.03 per cent) in 2015.

Joan Coombes maintained the Labour vote at 31.1 per cent with 17,469, while Charles Kennedy increased the Conservative vote from 11.98 per cent to 29.1 per cent (16,311). The Liberal Democrats Sally Pattie brought up the rear but her 1926 (3.4 per cent) was an increase from the party’s 1252 (2.03 per cent) in 2015.