SNP LOSE HAMILTON BY ELECTION TO LABOUR, REFORM 3RD

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Labour has laid “the first stone” in ousting the SNP from power at next year’s Holyrood election, the party’s Scottish leader has said after it pulled off a shock by-election win.

Anas Sarwar hailed his party’s “incredible result” in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election for the Scottish Parliament after it astonished observers by taking the seat from the SNP.

Speaking immediately after Labour’s Davy Russell won the contest by 602 votes from the SNP, Mr Sarwar said his party had proved political pundits, pollsters and commentators wrong.

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He said the result demonstrated that Scots wanted rid of the “rotten” SNP government in Edinburgh and they had rejected “the poison of Reform.”

Mr Sarwar also lambasted “misinformation” spread by the First Minister after John Swinney insisted the contest was a straight fight between the SNP and Reform.

The defeat was humiliating for Mr Swinney, who is yet to win a parliamentary election contest since returning as SNP leader a year ago. The Nationalists were routed by Labour in last year’s general election.

The result was so close it was not known by party activists until moments before the 1.30am declaration. Mr Russell triumphed with 8,559 votes, ahead of Ms Loudon with 7,957.