Council elections 2022: SNP looks to create coalition in Edinburgh

SNP will look to create another coalition council in Edinburgh after it held the same number of councillors as in the 2017 election.

Council leader Adam McVey's SNP party had19 seats, while the Conservative saw their number halved to nine.

Liberal Democrats had a good election, doubling their number of councillors to bring them up to 12.

Labour gained one councillor to reach 13. The Greens gained two councillors at 10.

Conservative leader Douglas Ross admitted it had been a disappointing day for his party.

It might take a while for a coalition party partner to be announced as it took more than a month for the SNP and Labour to agree to jointly run City of Edinburgh Council in 2017 even although the Conservatives were the largest party.

Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out the SNP forming coalitions with the Tories.

Kevin Lange, (L) elected councillor in Edinburgh's Almond ward, said the Liberal Democrats had "made history today in Edinburgh."

Kevin Lange, elected councillor in Edinburgh's Almond ward, said the Liberal Democrats had "made history today in Edinburgh".

Three Liberal Democrat candidates Kevin Lang, Louise Young and Lewis Younie won seats in the Almond ward.

West Lothian Council

Meanwhile in West Lothian the SNP were up two councillors and the Conservatives down three.

The SNP remained the largest group on West Lothian Council, gaining two seats to hold 15 of the 33 available.

Labour came in at second place with 12 councillors. The Scottish Conservatives dropped three to just four seats. There is one independent and one Lib Dem.

Fife Council

The SNP consolidated its position as the largest group on Fife Council, gaining five seats -the party now has 34 of the 75 seats.

Labour now has 20, which was down four seats. The Scottish Lib Dems were up six at 13. The Scottish Conservatives lost seven seats and are now the fourth largest party with just eight councillors..

Fife was previously run by an SNP/Labour administration.

East Lothian Council

In East Lothian Council Labour remained the biggest group as the Tories dropped seats.

Labour gained one seat, now holidng 10 of the 22 seats.

The SNP came up one to seven seats. The Scottish Conservatives lost three seats and now have just four. The Scottish Greens won one seat.

East Lothian Council had been run by a Labour minority administration.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton speaking in Edinburgh

Midlothian Council

At Midlothian Council The Scottish National Party overtook Labour to become the largest party.

The SNP got eight of the 18 councillors after gaining two seats. Labour remained on seven. The Scottish Conservatives have three seats, down two from the last election.

Midlothian Council had been a minority Labour administration.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said he was "over the moon" after a series of significant wins in Edinburgh.

"We felt we were in touching distance of winning these wards from nine months out, so actually the Partygate stuff - yes that's had an impact - but we put the groundwork in, built the foundations well in advance of these victories."

He said voters were concerned about local issues but they also raised Partygate and the cost-of-living crisis on the doorstep.

Their victories in the local election would be a "springboard to success", he said.