Published: Friday, 12th June, 2009 12:32pm

Low voter turnouts offers parties contrasting views

LAST week"s European elections proved significant as the last time voters will be asked to go to the polls before Gordon Brown calls a general election.

In the Borders the Conservatives beat the Lib Dems to claim victory polling 8,074 votes (30.1 per cent of the vote), over 1,700 more than the Liberal Democrats, who polled 6,317 votes.

The SNP polled 4,965 while the Labour party polled only 1,820.

However, fewer than 27,000 people - only 30 per cent of the electorate - turned out to vote which allowed two of Tweeddale"s main parties to form contrasting views on the result.

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (DCT) MP David Mundell welcomed the Conservatives" result. He said: 'On the basis of the European results, Conservatives are winning again across Scotland, taking seats like Edinburgh South, East Renfrewshire and Dumfries & Galloway from Labour and Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk and West Aberdeenshire & Kincardine from the Liberal Democrats - this is a significant blow to the Lib Dems in Tweeddale as people turn to the Conservatives for the change this country needs.

'This European election result is a disaster for Labour in Scotland. It only emphasises that the choice at the next Westminster election is between a tired and failing Labour Government or a rejuvenated Conservative Party.

'Only the Conservatives can remove Labour from Downing Street.""

However, Catriona Bhatia, Lib Dem candidate for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (DCT) views the low poll as a sad indictment on current politics urging all politicians to take heed of the recent election results.

She said: 'I was amazed to hear politicians of all parties trying to claim victory following the results of last weeks European and English council elections.

"To me the most important fact to emerge was the incredibly low turnout, and that is an indictment on all politicians. People stayed at home, not because they couldn"t be bothered to vote, but because they have lost faith in the political process.

'The main issue is that Westminster politicians do not seem to listen to voters any more, they seem to have forgotten they are only in London because we the voters sent them there. I would see my main task as an MP to be to listen to the concerns of my constituents, and always have their concerns in my mind.'

In Scotland as a whole, the SNP won the largest share of the European election vote for the first time, beating Labour into second place.

The nationalists took 29.1 per cent of the vote - a 10 point increase from the 2004 election - ahead of Labour"s 20.8 per cent.

The Tories took 16.8 per cent and the Lib Dems 11.5 per cent. The result means the SNP and Labour have returned two MEPs each, with one each for the Tories and Lib Dems.

The votes cast in the Scottish Borders were as follows:

British National Party - 503

Christian Party 'Proclaiming Christ"s Lordship' - 254

Conservative Party - 8,074

Jury Team - 123

Liberal Democrats - 6,317

No2EU: Yes to Democracy - 235

Scottish Green Party - 1,987

Scottish National Party 4,965

Scottish Socialist Party - 155

Socialist Labour Party - 226

The Labour Party - 1,820