And Marie McNair keeps the SNP happy in Clydebank …
by Bill Heaney
Jackie Baillie was in seventh heaven. The tears Jackie had shed a couple of days before as the tension built up in her battle with the SNP’s Sophie Traynor to win the Dumbarton constituency seat in the Scottish Parliament were replaced by a broad smile when she appeared before the TV cameras to be congratulated on her re-election.
Jackie Baillie has now won a stupendous, record-breaking seven elections since 1999, when the Scottish Parliament was founded and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.
The Scottish Labour candidate was elected after receiving 12,747 votes during Thursday’s Holyrood election.
And she immediately thanked her election agent, Martin Rooney, the leader of West Dunbartonshire Council, and his colleague Councillor Michelle McGinty for their hard work during Labour’s successful campaign.
The declaration was made by Returning Officer Peter Hessett, pictured left, at Clydebank Leisure Centre.
Mr Hessett said: “Congratulations to Jackie Baillie, who will continue to represent the communities within the Dumbarton constituency in the Scottish Parliament. I want to thank all candidates who put themselves forward for this important role within the democratic process.
“Thank you as well to the electorate who used their vote, actively engaging in democracy.
“I am also extremely proud of the efficient and thorough job which has been undertaken by our Council teams both in the lead up to the poll, during voting and at the count today. Their hard work ensured a successful election process for our communities.”
The full results in Dumbarton are as follows:
Jackie Baillie (Scottish Labour Party) – 12,747
Elaine Ford (Scottish Liberal Democrats) – 1196
Lynda McEwan (Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) – 356
Andrew Joseph Muir (Independent) – 355
Gary Mulvaney (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party) – 1368
David Smith (Reform UK) – 5040
Sophie Traynor (Scottish National Party) – 10,961
The total number of rejected ballots was 91.
Meanwhile, up the road, voters in the Clydebank constituency have re-elected Marie McNair as Member of the Scottish Parliament, who will represent the area at Holyrood.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) candidate was elected after receiving 12,126 votes during Thursday’s Holyrood election.
A total of 31,615 votes were cast, representing a 58.03% turnout, with Callum McNally coming second with 7929 votes.
“This incredible group of Clydebank, Milngavie & North Bearsden activists put blood, sweat, and tears into the campaign over the last few months – chapping doors, delivering leaflets, creating content, planning, and giving up countless hours for a cause they believe in – and I’m so glad to see all that hard work pay off. 
“Elections are rarely won by chance; they’re won because of dedicated people working behind the scenes, giving up their evenings, weekends, and spare time. The commitment from our local activists throughout this campaign has been amazing to see, and I’m proud to have been part of it.
“I’m also incredibly proud of our community for rejecting the racism and division pushed by Reform. Our constituency instead chose hope and compassion over fear and scapegoating, and I think that says a great deal about the kind of country people in Scotland want to build.
“The SNP has decisively won this election with 58 seats – more than all of the unionist parties combined. Alongside the 15 Scottish Green MSPs elected, this is now the biggest pro-independence majority Scotland has ever seen. Throughout this campaign, opposition parties claimed that people wanted change, and they were right. But the change people in Scotland are looking for is the change that comes from Scotland becoming an independent country, with the full powers needed to build a fairer, wealthier, and more compassionate nation.
“Lastly, I want to pay tribute to my friend and colleague Sophie Traynor SNP, pictured left with Marie, who ran a fantastic campaign in Dumbarton, even if it wasn’t meant to be this time. She is a formidable young woman with such a bright future ahead of her, and I’m incredibly proud to know her.”Returning Officer Peter Hessett at Clydebank Leisure Centre, said: “Congratulations to Marie McNair, who will continue to represent the communities within Clydebank and Milngavie constituency in the Scottish Parliament. I would also like to thank all candidates who put themselves forward for this important role.
“Thank you as well to those who came out to vote. We need our communities to be engaged in the democratic process, and I am glad that residents took the opportunity to do so.
“I am also extremely proud of the efficient and thorough job done both in the lead-up to the poll, during voting, and at the count. Their hard work ensured a successful election for our communities.”
The full results are as follows:
Claire Gallagher (Scottish Common Party) – 647
Ben Langmead (Scottish Liberal Democrats) – 4419
Alix Mathieson (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party) – 1820
Marie McNair (Scottish National Party) – 12,126
Callum McNally (Scottish Labour Party) – 7929
Andy White (Reform UK) – 4510
The total number of rejected ballots was 164.
Marie McNair, who was successfully re-elected to the Clydebank and Milngavie Scottish Parliament seat, is pictured with friends and campaign workers for the SNP.