Politicians calling for the cancellation of Brexit were the clear winners when the EU election votes for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire were counted last night.
More than 100,000 people in the region cast a ballot on Thursday, and these were tallied up at the AECC yesterday after polls closed in the rest of the continent.
The SNP topped the vote in both regions, while there was also success for the Liberal Democrats.
Both parties campaigned on the basis that the process of leaving the European Union should be halted.
Aberdeen City councillor Christian Allard was second on the SNP’s list and, following the results last night, is likely to be made an MEP once the final votes for Scotland are tallied.
The French national previously represented the north-east in Holyrood between 2013 and 2016.
He said that while some areas seem quite divided between those in favour of and against EU membership, “Aberdeen seems to be speaking with one voice.”
“It looks good in Aberdeen, which we are very pleased about,” he added.
“It’s a good night for pro-remain voters and that is important for the future.
“I think a lot of people are starting to think about what Brexit will be like, three years after the referendum.”
Around 20,000 more people in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire visited a polling station this year compared to the last time MEPs were elected.
Turn-out was roughly 39% in both areas – up from 32% back in 2014.
The Brexit party came second in Aberdeenshire and third in the city – suggesting there is still a large division in opinion across the north-east, and that this election was one way for people to voice that.
As the majority of campaigning in this election centred on one of those two options, Labour fell through the cracks somewhat. It placed fifth in Aberdeen and sixth in Aberdeenshire.
One of the party’s prospective MEPs, Callum O’Dwyer, said the electoral defeat was purely down to confusion about Labour’s stance on the topic.
“I think it is a very difficult time for Labour at the moment,” he said.
“The county is very divided and polarised.
“What we tried to do is put up a unified message to reach across that divide of stay and remain, but we haven’t met the voters where they are.
“It’s got to the point where we need to be clear on our stance on the biggest issues of the day, like Brexit and Scotland’s relationship with the UK.”
Martin Greig, a Liberal Democrat councillor in Aberdeen, said having a clear position was key for his party’s “very encouraging result”.
He said: “It’s clear that there is an enormous wish to remain in the European Union and the Liberal Democrats have been leaders in that campaign.”
As well as affecting a European position, some have argued that the election result could play a large role locally going forward.
Richard Thomson, who heads up the SNP group on Aberdeenshire Council, said: “The SNP is now back in a clear leadership position, and in Aberdeenshire in particular.
“This has been disastrous for the Conservatives, and they have been punished severely by the north-east for Brexit and the current infighting.”
