LABOUR won a surprise victory in a Scottish parliament by-election on Friday, defeating the Scottish National Party (SNP) in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The result delivered a rare boost to prime minister Keir Starmer and his government, who have seen a decline in support since taking office last July.
The by-election was triggered by the death of SNP lawmaker and government minister Christina McKelvie in March. Labour’s candidate Davy Russell secured 8,559 votes, overturning the SNP’s 2021 majority of 4,582. The SNP, who were favourites to retain the seat, received 7,957 votes, while Reform UK finished third with 7,088 votes.
"People in Scotland have once again voted for change," Starmer said on X. "Next year there is a chance to turbo charge delivery by putting Labour in power on both sides of the border," he added.
The Labour win came after what was described as one of the most bitter election campaigns in Scotland in recent years. Race became a central issue after Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, repeatedly referred to the ethnicity of Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who is of Pakistani heritage. Farage visited Scotland on Monday, shortly after a row erupted over an online video from his party that falsely claimed Sarwar would "prioritise" the Pakistani community.
Labour called the video “blatantly racist,” and SNP leader John Swinney urged voters to reject Reform’s “gutter politics”. In response, Farage accused Sarwar of bringing sectarianism into Scottish politics.
Despite securing the seat, Labour’s share of the vote fell slightly compared to 2021, ending at 31.6 per cent. The SNP’s vote share dropped by nearly 17 per cent. Reform UK gained 26.1 per cent, making a significant entry into Scottish politics. The Conservative party finished with just six per cent of the vote.
The betting odds before the by-election had predicted a comfortable SNP victory, with Labour expected to come third behind Reform.
After his win, Russell addressed supporters and said the result had “sent a message to Farage and his mob, the poison of Reform isn't us, it isn't Scotland and we don't want your division here”.
(With inputs from agencies)
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