Labour wins Dunfermline by-election
Scottish Labour's Cara Hilton has won the Dunfermline by-election for the Scottish Parliament.
The victory represents a gain from the SNP, who took the seat in 2011.
The by-election was caused by the resignation of sitting MSP Bill Walker, who was thrown out of the SNP and jailed for domestic abuse.
The SNP was defending a narrow margin but failed to hold on. One party MP blamed the Walker situation and the fact it was a mid-term election.
Labour took the seat with a majority of 2,873, a 7% swing from the SNP.
Ms Hilton said the hard work started now. She added: "My number one priority is to stand up for local families here in Dunfermline."
Shirley-Anne Somerville, of the SNP, said she was proud of the campaign she fought.
The by-election centred on contentious local issues, including proposed school closures by the council.
Dunfermline by-election result
- Scottish Labour - 10,275
- SNP - 7,402
- Lib Dems - 2,852
- Conservatives - 2,009
- UKIP - 908
- Greens - 593
- Independent - 161
The SNP also focused on its national policies such as the council tax freeze and the decision to remove the tolls on the nearby Forth Road Bridge.
But the party's opponents tried to argue the SNP is centralising local services and spending too much time on the independence referendum.
SNP MP Pete Wishart earlier tweeted: "Would be a disaster for Labour if they didn't win Dunfermline convincingly given the reasons for the by election and mid term."
Turnout in the by-election was 42.75%.
- Shirley-Anne Somerville - SNP
- Cara Hilton - Scottish Labour
- James Reekie - Scottish Conservatives
- Susan Leslie - Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Zara Kitson - Scottish Green Party
- Peter Adams - UKIP
- John Black - Independent
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