Conservatives Win Aberdeen South By-Election, First Scottish Gain Since 1967

The Conservative candidate won the Aberdeen South by-election, defeating the Scottish National Party incumbent. The result marks the party's first Scottish by-election gain since 1967. The campaign in Aberdeen South centered on job losses in the city's oil and gas industry.

Messages criticized support for net-zero policies, arguing those positions contributed to reduced drilling activity. The Scottish National Party retained the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry seat on the same day. The Conservative candidate there finished second, fewer than 200 votes ahead of Reform UK.

Labour recorded a nearly 20 percent drop in vote share across both constituencies. Officials within the party described the outcome as a warning ahead of future elections. The Scottish National Party result in Aberdeen South follows the recent guilty plea by a former party chief executive on embezzlement charges.

The individual is scheduled for sentencing next week. " The two by-elections were triggered when Scottish National Party members of Parliament resigned their Westminster seats after election to the Scottish Parliament. Kemi Badenoch stated at a victory rally in Aberdeen that "Aberdeen has sent a message to the Labour government and to the SNP that we will not be ignored.