Alyn Smith secured a big win for the SNP as the party held on to the seat with more than double the votes cast for the second place finisher, the Conservatives’ Stephen Kerr.
Alyn Smith has secured the win to become Stirling’s newest MSP
It was victory for the SNP’s Alyn Smith as the former Stirling MP returned to the political top table in securing the city’s seat at the Scottish Parliament.
Despite concerns over a drift in popularity for the party after almost two decades in power, Smith picked up 13,608 votes in the poll – more than double his nearest rival, another former Stirling MP in Stephen Kerr from the Conservatives.
Labour’s Kainde Manji came in third on 5,124 votes, with Reform UK’s Rachael Wright managing fourth on 4,908.
Jill Reilly from the Liberal Democrats rounded out the field on 2,324 votes.
Speaking after his win, Smith admitted his excitement about getting to represent Stirling once again.
He said: “I’m delighted and it does mean a lot that I will be able to represent our community, my home in the national parliament.
“For the people of Stirling to keep faith with the SNP after 19 years of devolved government means a lot. There are things we need to change and that’s something that has come across loud and clear in the campaign, but Stirling is fantastic and I really look forward to boosting all of the great things happening here.
“We have the development with the film studios, the exhibition and conference centre, there are a lot of good, big-ticket things in the works which I’m happy to get behind and really give some welly.”
The new Stirling MSP also reiterated his comments made during his winners speech about seeking to represent all of those across the area, including those who hadn’t cast a vote for him – or even at all.
He continued: “I meant what I said on the podium in that everybody who voted or didn’t vote for everyone will be represented.
“The people of Stirling are brand new, I have spent a lot of people over the last few months and a lot of them are fearful for the future.
“People are annoyed at Westminster and it’s one of the things we need to crunch the numbers on in terms of the campaign, the worries about the economy, immigration, energy costs – all of that are reserved to Westminster and things that an independent Scotland would do differently.
“As a party, we need to link those issues together.”
A second place on a tough day for the Conservatives on a national level, Kerr admitted his disappointment at not being able to secure the seat.
But he praised a “rigorous and robust” campaign which had seen him deliver a strong vote in some of the traditional Tory heartlands across the region.
Kerr said: “Second place is good, but I’m obviously disappointed not to have been more competitive in competing to win the seat.
“I respect the outcome of the election and pay tribute to Alyn Smith and his campaign as he won a resounding victory with his margin.
“‘I’d also like to compliment the other candidates that were standing because it takes a little bit of chutzpah to put your name on a ballot and stand for public office.
“I’m very proud of the campaign which has been fought – it has been rigorous and robust which is my characteristic style of campaign but it was also humorous through our social media.
“We wanted to tell the story that for how serious politics is, it can also be a bit of an adventure and a bit of fun.
“In the end, I’m disappointed not to have been selected as Stirling’s MSP and left quite concerned about what the result shows across Scotland.”
- For more reaction and analysis from the Stirling Holyrood vote, the Observer will carry full coverage in our print edition on Wednesday and on our online channels.
