LABOUR have lost three seats in this year's council elections in the Wee County.

The party now has five elected representatives in Clackmannanshire, losing a place each in the west, central and south wards.

Councillors George Matchett, Derek Stewart, Kenny Earle and Kathleen Martin have been re-elected, they will be joined by newly chosen Dave Clark, who had previously worked for eight years as the leader of Clackmannan District Council.

Long-serving member Bobby McGill as well as colleague Graham Watt both lost their seats to the Conservatives in a huge swing compared to 2012, while candidate Craig Miller also failed to win the favour of enough voters.

Following the announcement of the results in most of the Wee County's wards, Dave Clark told the Advertiser: “I think the Labour Party needs to behave with humility today. We need to listen to our communities and hear what they are saying.

“We need to think with creativity, imagination and compassion. We need to be a refreshed Labour Party rather than a tired-old Labour Party.

“I think the public have spoken here today, I think they have told us that the Indyref 2 ball has burst.

“I think they were giving us that message and we have got caught in the crossfire between their conversation with the SNP and the Tories and we have lost. We will be back.

“We will be back talking to our communities, we will be back listening to our communities and we will be back, hopefully, still holding that humility, but seeking their votes.”

He echoed his words regarding a second independence referendum during his acceptance speech representing the party after the full results were announced.

Mr Clark said communities have spoken, adding: “They also said, and this is the bit that surprised me, they also said that Indyref 2 is dead. The ball has burst.”

His words were met by uproar from the SNP side of the audience before the newly elected councillor continued: “In a lot of senses we are the victims of that because tactically they voted for the Conservatives.

“The SNP also needs to hear that the ball has burst. So my message to people in Clackmannanshire is, with humility we are listening.”

Bobby McGill served two decades as an elected member, but today he had to walk away unelected. He said he has enjoyed his time and mostly he will remember the people he had worked with.

He said: “Of course I'm disappointed, you don't put yourself forward to lose, but I understand. A lot of Labour supporters have changed to the Tories and it's a clear message that they are fed up with [Indyref 2]. I'll pay the penalty for that and I've got to accept it.

Bobby said he is sure those coming in will do as good a job as he has done and added: “It's important that Clackmannanshire Council survives, to that end, councillors will have to work together.”