Conservatives clinch Stranraer and Rhins by-election

CONSERVATIVE candidate Julie Currie won the Stranraer and the Rhins by-election, narrowly beating Reform UK. Currie was elected as the region's newest ward councillor on Friday afternoon at the seventh stage of voting, with 1302 votes. However, Reform UK’s candidate John Roberts returned the most first preference votes, with 1386. While the SNP’s Simon Allen Hugh Jones returned the third most first preference votes, 541. Labour candidate John Peter McCutcheon returned 239 first preference votes, while independent Shaun Smith won 207. A total of 3939 votes were cast at the by-election, showing a 34.29 per cent turnout. The quota for the election was 1971 votes. Since the election messages of support have been flooding in from Julie's fellow Conservative representatives, including cllrs Lynne Davis and Jackie McCamon ; MSP Finlay Carson, MPs John Cooper and David Mundell, who said: "An epic win for Julie Currie and Scottish Conservatives team in the Stranraer and the Rhins by-election. A deserved triumph for hard work and a great community campaigner."