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SNP’s Chris Law holds off Labour election challenge in Dundee Central by 675 votes

The re-elected MP beat rival Richard McCready.

General election 2024
Chris Law following election win. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Chris Law has held Dundee Central for the SNP amid a stern challenge from a resurgent Labour.

The incumbent MP, who has represented Dundee since 2015, got 15,544 votes in Thursday’s poll.

Labour candidate Richard McCready received 14,869 votes in the newly drawn seat.

Liberal Democrat candidate Daniel Coleman was third, with just over 2,402 votes.

Voter turnout was 52.5% and the SNP’s majority was a narrow 675, compared to over 12,000 in 2019.

Chris Law ‘pleased’ at result

Speaking to The Courier after the result, Mr Law said he was always expecting a tough contest.

“From the moment the election was called, I knew it was going to be a difficult seat to win and it would be a tight race between ourselves and Labour”, he said.

“I’m actually quite pleased to get a result like we did tonight because (the constituency) is completely changed from where it was when it was Dundee West.”

Chris Law retains Dundee Central for SNP. Image: Kim Cessford / DC Thomson.

Asked what he was hearing from Dundonians on the campaign trail, Mr Law took aim at the timing of the summer election.

Mr Law said: “The feeling on the doorsteps was that people felt tired of the difficulties they’ve had to face – the cost of living crisis, austerity. They want change.

“The second thing I would say is that this is a really bad time for an election to be called.

“A lot of people are frustrated that they could not vote as they we were away on holiday.

“That says a lot about how Westminster doesn’t work.”

He added: “The SNP is still very strong in Dundee and if Stephen Gethins, who has a small part of Dundee in the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency, is successful it will mean two SNP MPs coming out of the city.

Labour vote ‘remarkable’

In his concession speech, Labour’s Mr McCready said the narrow gap is a “remarkable result” compared to the SNP’s previously held majority.

“It’s something people would not have imagined just a few short weeks ago,” he added.

Mr McCready left the count without speaking to The Courier.

Dundee Central  Labour candidate Richard McCready. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

The 2024 general election is the first time the Dundee Central constituency has been contested, with the city previously being split into Dundee East and West.

Dundee East, which was represented by Stuart Hosie since 2005, has been partly  incorporated into the new Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency.

Parts of the East End, Maryfield and Strathmartine wards – which previously came under Dundee East – are now in Dundee Central.

SNP support cheer Chris Law’s election. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Chris Law’s victory in Dundee West in 2015 marked the first time any party other than Labour had won the constituency.

Mr Law retained the seat four years later with a majority of 12,259.

Other candidates standing in Dundee Central included Daniel Coleman for the Liberal Democrats and Emma Farquhar for the Conservatives.

Former Dundee councillor Alan Ross, who left the SNP in 2021, stood for Alba.

Vicky McCann was the candidate for Reform UK.

See more results from across Scotland on our tracker page.

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