Byelection loss suggests voters rebelled against SNP over Peter Murrell’s theft of £400,000 in party funds

Tory candidate Douglas Lumsden won a majority of more than 6,000 with 14,308 votes, followed by the SNP in second place with 8,258.

Party sources believe they have come from third place to overturn an SNP majority of almost 4,000 by a large margin.