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Leigh Payne
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Leigh Payne

SNP councillor for Avondale and Stonehouse on South Lanarkshire Council.

Leigh Payne won Avondale and Stonehouse on South Lanarkshire Council for the SNP on 17 September 2026, taking the ward from an Independent two days before Scottish Labour chose Michael Marra as leader.

Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Can the SNP hold off Labour and Reform in South Lanarkshire?

Timeline for Leigh Payne

#18 22 Sept

Gained Avondale and Stonehouse from an independent

UK Local Elections 2026: Marra's MSPs vote for right to decide
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Background

Leigh Payne is the SNP councillor for Avondale and Stonehouse, a ward of South Lanarkshire Council, elected in September 2026.

The by-election followed the death of Margaret Cooper, WHO had won the ward as an Independent in May 2022 and served as Provost of South Lanarkshire. Payne's victory turned the seat over to the SNP, with the party finishing more than seven points clear of Labour on first preferences. The ward uses the single transferable vote, like every Scottish council ward.

Reform UK finished under half a point behind Labour, so Payne's seat sits in a ward where three parties each drew close to a fifth of the vote or more.

Key Issues
South Lanarkshire

Payne gains a ward for the SNP

Payne topped the first-preference count on 17 September 2026 with 27.6%. Labour was second on 20.0%, with Reform UK a fraction behind on 19.6%, while the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens each polled between 8% and 11%. The seat had been held by an independent.

For Payne and the SNP, the timing mattered. Two weeks earlier the party had lost both City of Edinburgh Council seats contested on 3 September, Southside/Newington to Labour and Portobello/Craigmillar to the Scottish Greens. Within days of Payne's win, Labour installed Michael Marra as its Scottish leader, so the margin over Labour here is an early marker of the SNP's standing against a reorganised rival.

Common Questions
Who won the Avondale and Stonehouse by-election?
The SNP's Leigh Payne won on 17 September 2026, an SNP gain from an Independent, with 27.6% of first preferences.Source: PollCheck
Why was there a by-election in Avondale and Stonehouse?
It followed the death of Margaret Cooper, Provost of South Lanarkshire, WHO had won the seat as an Independent in 2022.Source: PollCheck
How did Reform UK do in the Avondale and Stonehouse by-election?
Reform UK came third on 19.6% of first preferences, behind the SNP on 27.6% and Labour on 20.0%.Source: PollCheck
Source Material
Avondale and Stonehouse by-election, 17 September 2026