The last first-past-the-post local by-election in Scotland has seen Labour keep its fingertip control of Renfrewshire Council, despite a huge swing to the Scottish National Party. Labour's majority at Elderslie, reputed birthplace of William Wallace and in Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander's constituency, was cut from 654 to 65 on a 47% turnout in the last by-election, before proportional representation comes in for Scottish councils. This is the first Labour election win in Scotland for almost a year, although the swing to the SNP was 16.1%
