A former SNP councillor has twisted the knife after his party decimated Labour in this week’s Fife Council by-elections.
Douglas Chapman, who stood down as representative for Rosyth after being elected as the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife earlier this year, described Thursday night’s results as “horrendous” for rivals.
His former seat was successfully defended by Sharon Wilson, while Ian Ferguson secured victory for the SNP in Dunfermline North, following David Mogg’s retirement.
The scale of the party’s victory was emphatic, particularly given west Fife’s reputation as a traditional Labour heartland.
With those days seemingly over, Mr Chapman hailed Fife’s newest councillors and said: “Both Ian and Sharon have worked their socks off and have built great campaign teams around them, which will stand the SNP in good stead for the Scottish Parliament elections.
“The vote of confidence the people of Dunfermline North and Rosyth have given the SNP in such a convincing way is testament to the way in which the SNP is the real voice of Scotland.
“No matter how Labour spin the figures, these are horrendous results for them in Fife.”
In Rosyth, Mrs Wilson polled 1,214 votes to defeat Labour’s Vikki Fairweather by a majority of 288.
Her counterpart in Dunfermline North, Mr Ferguson, secured a majority of 337 over Labour’s Joe Long to complete a famous double for the SNP.
It means the Labour Party has failed to win an election in Fife since May of last year, with the SNP having secured victory in all five polls in the region this year.