Scottish election 2021: Nicola Sturgeon holds Glasgow Southside seat
- Published
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has beaten Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to hold the Glasgow Southside constituency.
Ms Sturgeon received 19,735 votes, with Mr Sarwar coming in 9,456 votes behind at 10,279.
The SNP's share of the vote was 60.2%, down 1%. Labour were up to 31%, with a swing of 4.8% to Labour.
The SNP leader thanked her opponent, and said they "actually quite like each other" - despite their opposing views.
She said: "Anas and I are opponents, but I think we are in the strange position perhaps in politics where - and I think I can speak for him although he might correct me if I'm wrong here - where we actually quite like each other and that can make it difficult to campaign against someone and I congratulate him on his campaign."
Referring to an incident on Friday when she was involved in a tense confrontation with far-right candidate Jayda Fransen, Ms Sturgeon said she was "proud" that voters had rejected racism and fascism.
Ms Fransen is the former deputy leader of Britain First, and was standing as an independent candidate in Glasgow Southside. She has convictions for religiously aggravated harassment.
Ms Sturgeon said it was the "privilege of my life" to represent "the most multi-cultural, diverse constituency in the whole of Scotland".
She added: "The far right thug who led that confrontation got 46 votes and I am proud that once again Glasgow Southside has shown the racists and the fascists that they are not welcome… and let that be a note of unity."
Looking to the rest of Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said it was "very, very early" but at this stage she was "extremely happy" that the SNP appeared to be on course for a fourth election victory and to form the next Scottish government.
She said if that was indeed the outcome she would get back to work immediately on the Covid recovery and then "when the time is right" to offer another Scottish independence referendum.
Ms Sturgeon said this election had been conducted in the most challenging and difficult of circumstances and thanked everyone involved around the country.
It's a Holyrood first - two big party leaders going head-to-head in the same constituency.
It's been the Battle of Glasgow Southside and the political divide is stark - SNP v Labour.
The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon has nurtured this part of Glasgow since 1999.
The party boss was first elected on the city's list and then wrestled the constituency away from Labour's Gordon Jackson in 2007.
Meanwhile, it's family affair for the Sarwars. Mohammed Sarwar won the Westminster seat of Glasgow Govan in 1997.
For son Anas, it was unthinkable to stand anywhere else. He's been lauded for running a decent campaign (yet they have lost East Lothian to the SNP).
He managed to double his vote here - but Ms Sturgeon won comfortably.
In her acceptance speech, she paid a warm tribute to her political rival - saying they were in the strange position of quite liking each other.
They may be divided by politics - but the two politicians are united against racism and fascism with the SNP leader saying the far-right was not welcome in Glasgow Southside after a couple of ugly incidents.
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- Published5 May 2021
- Published6 May 2021
