Conservatives take Aberdeen in big by-election win after Kemi Badenoch's party pitched the contest as a referendum on Ed Miliband's radical Net Zero agenda

By SAM MERRIMAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 18:57, 19 June 2026 | Updated: 18:59, 19 June 2026 The Conservative Party has won its first seat at a Scottish by-election for more than half a century after pitching it as a referendum on Ed Miliband’s Net Zero agenda. Kemi Badenoch’s party stormed to victory in Aberdeen South on Friday - ousting the scandal-hit Scottish National Party to win a majority of more than 6,000 votes. The Tories had cast the election as a referendum on the Energy Secretary’s radical Green policies - with new MP Douglas Lumsden using his victory speech to say that voters had sent a clear message. ‘The destruction of the North Sea oil and gas industry must stop now,’ he told supporters at the count yesterday. The Conservatives increased their vote share by more than 25 per cent - while Labour’s collapsed by almost 20 per cent - suggesting Labour voters switched directly to Mrs Badenoch’s party. The Tory leader held a victory rally in Aberdeen on Friday, after her party broke its post-war record for its largest increase in vote share and secured its first gain at a by-election in Scotland since 1967. ‘The people of Aberdeen sent a message on behalf of the whole country,’ Mrs Badenoch said. ‘Energy security is national security. They know it is common sense to use our own oil and gas rather than importing it from overseas. ‘They know it is madness to make ourselves poorer, weaker and more dependent at a time when even the government’s own intelligence says we are under threat. The first duty of any government is to keep its people safe.’ Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is under mounting pressure to issue new licences for drilling oil and gas off the Scottish coast Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s party sought to pitch the Aberdeen South by-election as a referendum on Ed Miliband’s Net Zero agenda Mr Lumsden secured the seat with 14,308 votes - largely thanks to tactical voting, according to a Tory source - while the SNP tally collapsed from 15,213 at the 2024 general election to 8,258. Mr Lumsden, 54, who spent two decades working in oil and gas, said he was ‘looking forward to getting down to Westminster and really banging the drum for Aberdeen and the oil and gas industry.’ The former co-leader of Aberdeen City Council added: ‘Labour have got to take note - this is a seismic victory tonight and they have got to change course on oil and gas, they’ve got to change course on energy.’ Tory shadow Scotland secretary Andrew Bowie said: ‘We said this election was a referendum on the future of North Sea oil and gas, and Aberdeen has spoken loud and clear. Let’s Get Britain Drilling Now. ‘I look forward to Douglas joining the Conservative team in Westminster, where I know he will work tirelessly to hold Ed Miliband to account.’ The SNP did hold its seat at another by-election in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, with SNP adviser Lara Bird securing the seat with 9,802 votes ahead of the Tories in second and Reform UK in third. Meanwhile the Conservatives also picked up two council seats from Reform yesterday in local by-elections in Mrs Badenoch’s own backyard of Essex. The party increased its share of the vote in Rayleigh West by 17.5 per cent while Reform’s fell by 15 per cent. The Tories also gained a seat from Reform in Rochford, increasing its vote share by 39 per cent, and held a council seat in Hillingdon. It came after Reform gained control of Essex County Council at last month’s local elections, putting an end to 25 years of Tory rule. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.