Davy Russell won the Hamilton by-election 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
Newly-elected Scottish Labour politician Davy Russell sent a message to Nigel Farage and “his mob” this morning.
The businessman defeated both the SNP and Reform UK to win the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat, despite Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney having declared the contest was a “two horse race” between the other parties.
Speaking after the victory was announced, Mr Russell 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.”
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.”
But the new MSP, who won the seat with a swing of 7.4% from the SNP to Labour, 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.”
Mr Russell, a grandfather from the area, 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.
And it is a further blow to Reform UK, following the dramatic resignation of its chairman Zia Yusuf on Thursday. The multi-millionaire, who was born in Scotland, had criticised the party’s MPs for calling for a burka ban. Quitting last night, he tweeted: “11 months ago I became Chairman of Reform. I’ve worked full time as a volunteer to take the party from 14 to 30%, quadrupled its membership and delivered historic electoral results.”
Some 27,155 votes were cast on Thursday in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency. The turnout was significantly higher than the 37.2% for the Hamilton and Rutherglen West Westminster by-election in October 2023. By-elections always have a lower turnout than general elections, but not many predicted yesterday’s turnout would be this high.