The SNP was thrashed by Labour in a council by-election yesterday following the resignation of disgraced councillor Jordan Linden.
A campaign visit from Humza Yousaf earlier this month was not enough to prevent a Nationalist defeat in the Bellshill ward on North Lanarkshire council.
Labour candidate Anne McCrory won 1,440 votes compared to 753 for the SNP's Joe Budd.
Linden, a former North Lanarkshire Council leader, quit politics earlier this year following a string of allegations of sexual harrasment.
Labour’s 51.8 per cent share was enough for victory in the 10-way contest without any need for vote transfers.
The Nationalists' share of the vote was down 13.7 points to 27.1 per cent
Geoff Aberdein, a former chief of staff Alex Salmond, warned the SNP that its supporters had failed to turn out for the party. He tweeted: “Bellshill by-election highlights need for major point of departure. Party has to stop talking to its own bubble, establish vision and purpose that reflects punters' needs and deliver with conviction.
"Why weren’t SNP voters willing to turnout? Whether it be in polls or at ballot box in by-elections, the trend has been against the SNP for months. This ‘fingers in ears’ and ‘it will be alright on the night’ position is exactly how I recall the Labour party acting in 2006.”
The by-election was triggered after former SNP rising star Jordan Linden resigned as a councillor following revelations in the Sunday Mail. Police are investigating an allegation of sexual assault made against former council leader Jordan Linden, which he denies.
He resigned from the council and left the party earlier this year after five men made allegations against him. Linden stepped down as leader of North Lanarkshire Council in July last year amid accusations of groping and sexual harassment, leading to the collapse of the council's SNP administration.
He then quit the council in March after fresh claims of misconduct, which dated back to 2015. Several councillors have since left the SNP's group in North Lanarkshire to sit as independents.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
