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SNP holds nine constituencies in Glasgow region

The SNP held off challengers in all of the Glasgow region’s seats.

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Nicola Sturgeon and Kaukab Stewart

The SNP has won the nine constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region.

The SNP winners included Kaukab Stewart, Scotland’s first female ethnic minorty MSP, who won in the Glasgow Kelvin constituency.

Other winners included Ivan McKee, Scotland’s Trade Minister, James Dornan and John Mason.

Eight Glasgow constituencies were declared at the city’s Emirates Arena, with the count for Rutherglen taking place in South Lanarkshire.

In the first result of Saturday, Mr McKee won 15,913 votes, Labour’s Martin McElroy won 8,683 and the Greens’ Kim Long won 2,366.

In his victory speech, Mr McKee said: “The people of Glasgow Provan have clearly expressed support for the continuation of this SNP Scottish Government to lead us out of the pandemic and deliver the economic recovery that comes after that.

“But they’ve also expressed their willingness to have a say in Scotland’s future.”

Scottish Parliamentary Elections 2021
Eight results were declared at the Emirates Arena (Jane Barlow/PA)

The second result on Saturday was Glasgow Cathcart, which was held by the SNP’s James Dornan. He won 21,728 votes, Labour’s Craig Carson took 11,332 and the Conservatives’ Euan Blockley 4,041.

Mr Dornan said Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership had “showed the people of Scotland that we have a level-headed person in charge of government and that Scotland can do things differently than elsewhere.”

He said the SNP had faced a “coalition of unionist parties”, adding, “they can’t beat us because the people of Scotland support what we stand for”.

Glasgow Shettleston was also held by the SNP, with John Mason retaining his seat on 17,465 votes.

Labour’s Pauline McNeill came second with 9,440 votes, followed by Conservative Thomas Kerr in third on 4,421.

Mr Mason said: “There will be challenges over the next few years.

“Money may be plentiful at the moment because Westminster’s borrowing hand over fist but things are likely to get tighter.

“All councils including Glasgow feel like they’re getting a raw deal and need more money.”

He added: “Sectarianism has not gone away and we will need to work through issues around transgender. I will plan to be involved in all of those issues.”

Scottish Parliamentary Elections 2021
Eight results were declared at the Emirates Arena (Jane Barlow/PA)

In Glasgow Kelvin, Ms Stewart won with 14,535 votes.

Also running in the constituency were Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie and Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy, who won 9,077 and 8,605 votes respectively.

Ms Stewart said: “It is without doubt an honour to be elected as the first woman of colour to the Scottish Parliament

“It has taken too long but to all the women and girls of colour out there, the Scottish Parliament belongs to you too, so whilst I may be the first, I will not be the last.”

In Rutherglen, incumbent Claire Haughey won with 20,249 votes.

The results follow another four SNP wins in Glasgow constituencies which were announced on Friday, including Nicola Sturgeon’s in Glasgow Southside.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has retained his seat on the Glasgow regional list as his party held four seats in the area.

There was no change from the 2016 results, with two Conservatives elected along with Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie.

Ms McNeill held her seat, as did Tory Annie Wells.

Former MP Paul Sweeney will return for Labour while Ms Duncan-Glancy was also elected for the party and Sandesh Gulhane for the Conservatives.

Mr Harvie said his party narrowly missed out on a second regional list seat after a “nerve-wracking” race, with councillor Kim Long losing the final place on the list to the Conservatives by a few hundred votes.

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