The Scottish National party (SNP) has lost the formerly safe seat of Aberdeen South in a shock loss to the Scottish Conservatives.<\/p>\n
The Scottish Conservatives\u2019 Douglas Lumsden beat the SNP\u2019s Richard Thomson by 6,050 votes, with a 14.69% swing away from the SNP. The Tories vote share was 49.51%. Lumsden\u2019s vote tally was 14,308, with Thomson on 8,258.<\/p>\n
Jo Hart for Reform came a distant third with 2,478 votes. The turnout was just 38%.<\/p>\n
In his victory speech, Lumsden said the people of the city had spoken \u201cloud and clear\u201d that the \u201cdestruction of the North Sea oil and gas industry must stop now\u201d.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWe said at the start of this campaign that it is a referendum on the oil and gas industry and the people of Aberdeen<\/a> have given a resounding answer that we back the oil and gas industry.\u201d<\/p>\n The Tories threw significant resources into the contest, with its UK party leader, Kemi Badenoch, visiting the constituency three times as they sought to make it a battle over increased North Sea oil and gas production<\/a>.<\/p>\n The SNP did hold onto Arbroath and Broughty Ferry in a separate byelection, with Lara Bird taking the seat vacated by Stephen Gethins who quit Westminster for Holyrood.<\/p>\n The SNP\u2019s Stephen Flynn, who gave up the Aberdeen South seat in order to take a seat in Holyrood, wrote on social media: \u201cA tough night in Aberdeen that some will need to reflect on, quite heavily.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cWe lost Aberdeen South to the Tories in 2017, and we won it back two years later. I\u2019ve no doubt that we can do so again. If we get things right.\u201d<\/p>\n The byelection was called after Flynn stood down to take up a seat at the Scottish parliament in May. The law does not allow people to hold seats in the Scottish parliament and the House of Commons simultaneously.<\/p>\n He had held Aberdeen South in the 2024 general election with a 3,758-vote majority.<\/p>\n