New analysis of last week’s council elections shows that the race in West Dunbartonshire is too close to call, Labour candidate Jean Anne Mitchell has said.

Following the results, in which Labour defied the pollsters by stopping the SNP getting a majority on the Council, the party will now step up its campaign to win back the West Dunbartonshire seat at the General Election on 8 June.

Labour secured its highest vote share of any council area in Scotland last Thursday in West Dunbartonshire. 33.6% of residents in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven and Clydebank voted Labour -; an increase in the party’s vote share since the last West Dunbartonshire-wide poll in 2015.

Meanwhile the SNP’s support has declined, with almost 19% of local voters deserting the party since the 2015 General Election. Labour is now within touching distance of winning on 8 June and only needs a small swing to beat the SNP in West Dunbartonshire.

Jean Anne Mitchell, Labour candidate in West Dunbartonshire, said:

“The results from the council elections show that Labour is best placed to beat the SNP in West Dunbartonshire on 8 June. The SNP is in trouble after losing one in five of their voters and failing to win overall control of the Council.

“Labour secured its highest vote across Scotland here in West Dunbartonshire so this seat will be one of the tightest races in the country between Labour and the SNP. The Tories are a distant third in West Dunbartonshire and only Labour can beat the SNP.

“Labour believes that together we’re stronger. That is why the only way that people in Clydebank, Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven can reject this Tory Government and reject the SNP’s threat of a divisive second independence referendum is to vote Labour on June