The Scottish Conservatives win the Aberdeen South by-election, taking the Westminster seat from the SNP. Multiple outlets describe the result as unexpected and historic for the party, with the BBC saying it is the Conservatives’ first Westminster by-election win in more than 50 years and that leader Kemi Badenoch frames it as a message to Labour and the SNP. The Financial Times reports it is the Conservatives’ first Scottish by-election seat in almost 60 years.
The Conservatives campaign emphasizing issues including high taxes and limits on new oil and gas exploration, according to the Financial Times. BBC coverage says the Conservatives “throw everything” at the seat and secure a comfortable victory over the SNP.
At the same time, the SNP retains other constituencies linked to the set of by-elections mentioned by some sources. The Scotsman and the BBC say the SNP hangs on to Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, even though it loses Aberdeen South.
