Historic by-election win sends message to Labour and SNP - Badenoch

Historic by-election win sends message to Labour and SNP - Badenoch 2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Angus Cochrane , Senior political journalist, BBC Scotland and Paul O'Hare , BBC Scotland PA Media Kemi Badenoch praised the positivity of Douglas Lumsden's campaign and said his by-election win had national significance Kemi Badenoch says the Scottish Conservatives' first by-election win since 1973 sends a message to Labour and the SNP. The Aberdeen South seat, vacated by the SNP's Stephen Flynn, was won by Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden. Shortly afterwards the SNP claimed a victory in the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election where Lara Bird held the seat for the party. Lumsden, who is unable to sit in both parliaments due to a Holyrood ban on so-called dual mandates, is to resign from Holyrood just six weeks after winning re-election as a north-east MSP. Scottish Conservatives win first Westminster by-election in more than 50 years Tories pick themselves up off the floor with unexpected Scottish by-election win Badenoch told jubilant party activists: " I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be able to welcome Douglas Lumsden to parliament." The Conservative leader, who was flanked on stage by Lumsden and Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, thanked voters for putting their trust in the party. She also praised the positivity of Lumsden's campaign and said the result had national significance. Badenoch said the media had focused on the Makerfield by-election where Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham won 55% of the vote . He is now expected to challenge Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. PA Media Douglas Lumsden (centre) is to resign from Holyrood as he takes up a seat at Westminster Badenoch said: "The Makerfield by-election was about one man's job. "The Aberdeen South by-election was about thousands of jobs all over the country but especially in the oil and gas sector." She added: "Aberdeen has sent a message to the Labour government and the SNP that we will not be ignored. "Aberdeen will not be ignored. The sector will not be ignored." Badenoch also said the country needed to think about national security and energy security more than ever. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay described the result as a "sensational victory". He added: "This was a referendum on oil and gas." The Scottish by-elections were triggered when sitting MPs - Flynn and his SNP colleague Stephen Gethins - resigned from the House of Commons after being elected to Holyrood. Aberdeen South winner says vote is message to Labour First Minister John Swinney said he understood why the SNP lost. "The Conservatives mobilised a campaign which was about capturing the understandable anger there is in Aberdeen and the northeast about the issues affecting the oil and gas sector," he said. Swinney said he was trying to help the industry by urging Labour to scrap the Energy Profits Levy . At present, it means that operators are handing over 78% of their profits to the Treasur