Conservatives defeat SNP in Aberdeen, using North Sea oil as a weapon

The UK Conservative Party secured a clear victory over the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the Aberdeen South by-election on Friday morning, overturning a majority of over 3,000 votes. The Conservative campaign focused on opposing restrictions to North Sea oil and gas drilling. This marks the party's first by-election victory in Scotland since the late 1960s.

The Conservatives secured a clear victory over the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the Aberdeen South by-election on Friday, polling 14,308 votes against the SNP's 8,258. The overturning of a majority of more than 3,000 votes is a significant result, marking the Conservatives' first by-election victory in Scotland since the late 1960s.

Oil campaign delivers victory

The Conservatives built their campaign largely around opposing restrictions to North Sea oil and gas drilling, an issue that directly affects thousands of local jobs. The party's message was directed at both the Westminster Labour government and the SNP, which they accused of blocking new drilling licences.

Long-serving Scottish Parliament member Douglas Lumsden will now make the leap to the Westminster Parliament. His campaign was clear: the region's economy depends on the oil sector and restrictions threaten local jobs.

Significance for Badenoch

The victory is important backing for the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, whose party lost national power in 2024 and has faced pressure from Nigel Farage's Reform UK on the right flank. Badenoch has steered the party away from green policy, abandoning carbon neutrality targets set by her predecessors and actively supporting the oil and gas industry.

"Industry is the lifeblood of the north east economy," Badenoch said during the campaign, while criticising the Westminster Labour government's "ban on new drilling, which the SNP supports."

The result gives the Conservatives an argument that energy and climate policy could be an election-winning factor, especially in regions where the fossil fuels sector plays a decisive role in the local economy.