Labour take the Hamilton by election but it was close

The SNP were second with Reform UK in third

Labour’s newest MSP declared his shock by-election victory has sent a message to Nigel Farage and “his mob”, after he defeated both the SNP and Reform UK to win the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat.

Davy Russell won despite Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney having declared the contest was a “two horse race” between the SNP and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

But when the votes were counted Mr Russell polled 8,559, with the SNP’s Katy Loudon coming second on 7,957, ahead of Reform’s Ross Lambie, who secured 7,088 votes.

With Reform never having won an election in Scotland, party deputy leader Richard Tice said coming third in the contest was a “massive boost for us”.

He insisted: “We’re thrilled to bits, absolutely delighted.”

However Mr Russell, who won the seat with a swing of 7.4% from the SNP to Labour said the community had “sent a message to Farage and his mob tonight – the poison of Reform isn’t us, it isn’t Scotland and we don’t want your division here”.

Speaking at the count in Hamilton the new MSP said he was “so proud” to be elected to represent his local community.

He added: “I said in the campaign I will put this community, our community first. I will work every single day to do that.”

He continued: “Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse has voted tonight to take a new direction with Scottish Labour.

“Like the people here in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, and right across Scotland, we all feel we have been let down by the SNP.

“They have broken the NHS, wasted our money and after nearly two decades they don’t deserve another chance.”

The by-election took place after the death of Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, and comes less than a year before next May’s Holyrood elections,

The results will be concerning for SNP leader Mr Swinney – who made several visits to the area during the campaign – but the victory will be seen as a boost for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s bid to become Scotland’s next first minister.