Scottish Labour secure surprise win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election

Scottish Labour has won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat in the Scottish parliament from the SNP in a by-election triggered by the death of Christina McKelvie, who had represented the constituency since 2011.

Labour's Davy Russell secured 8,559 votes, with a majority of 602 over the SNP. Reform UK finished third on 7,088 votes, with the Tories in fourth on 1,621. Turnout was 44.2%, with a total of 27,155 votes cast out of a possible electorate of 61,485.

After the result of the poll was announced, Russell said: “I’m so proud to be elected MSP for my home and my community. Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse voted tonight to take a new direction with Scottish Labour. Like the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse – and right across Scotland – we all feel we’ve been let down by the SNP. After nearly two decades, they don’t deserve another chance. He added: “The poison of Reform isn’t us, it isn’t Scotland, and we don’t want your division here.”

“Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour are ready to fix our NHS and end the SNP’s addiction to wasting your money , restore our public services. Only Scottish Labour can beat the SNP across Scotland. The road to a new direction across Scotland in 2026 with Anas Sarwar as first minister of a Scottish Labour government begins right here.”

Asked what his first priority will be, he said he will focus on Hamilton town centre. He said: “We have to get investment in there. The council are really trying hard but it needs a bit of help with public. It’s not all about public money. I’m sure there are lots of investors.”

Mr Sarwar branded the victory “an incredible night” as he paid tribute to “a fantastic local candidate”, who he stressed “has had to put up with pretty elitist and classist comments about him”.

He said: “This man lives here, he is from here. The other candidates are going to leave this constituency tonight.”

The Scottish Labour leader added: “The conversations we’ve been having on the doorstep and the result tonight is a demonstration of a few things. First, people want a UK Labour government to go faster and further on improving their lives and they want to feel that improvement in their lives. I think that’s a clear message to them.

“Second, they’ve had enough of this SNP government after 18 years they have let Scotland down, they’ve left communities across the country down. Third, they have rejected the politics of Nigel Farage and Reform. Today, the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse have laid the first stone in that pathway to a Scottish Labour government next year.

“We have proven the pundits wrong, we’ve proven the pollsters wrong, we’ve proven the political commentators wrong and the bookies wrong - and we’re going to continue to do what we need to do to change the lives of people in Scotland.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Katy Loudon fought a superb SNP campaign, and clearly I am disappointed that we did not win tonight. Labour won by an absolute landslide in this area less than a year ago - we came much closer tonight but the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse have made clear that we still have work to do. Over the next few days we will take time to consider the result fully.

“When I became leader of the SNP last year I made clear my intention to bring the party together and focus more than ever on standing up for the people of Scotland. During this campaign we heard a lot of anger about the cost of living - and it is clearer than ever that Westminster control is making Scotland poorer, whether that is the damage of Brexit, the hike in energy bills or the betrayal on the winter fuel payment.

“Between now and May’s election, I and the SNP will set out a vision of hope and optimism. We will show people in Scotland that a better future is possible by taking decisions for ourselves - and that is how we will win in 2026.”