Labour wins Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election as SNP and Reform suffer shock defeat

Scottish Labour pulled off a surprise victory in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, in a result that reconfigures the political outlook ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.

Davy Russell, a first-time candidate and local figure known for his role as deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire, won the seat vacated by the late Scottish National Party (SNP) minister Christina McKelvie. McKelvie died in March aged 57 after a battle with secondary breast cancer.

Mr Russell secured 8,559 votes, beating SNP candidate Katy Loudon by a margin of 602. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK candidate Ross Lambie came in third with 7,088 votes – only narrowly behind the SNP – while the Scottish Conservatives trailed with 1,621.

The win overturns a 2021 SNP majority of 4,582 and marks a 7.4 per cent swing towards Labour. It is a significant morale boost for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, whose party has recently lagged behind in national polling.

Speaking to PA after the result, Mr Sarwar said: "I think people need to change the script, because we've proven the pollsters wrong.

"We've proven the commentators wrong, we've proven the bookies wrong.

"We've proven John Swinney wrong and so many others wrong too."

Scottish first minister John Swinney had earlier dismissed Labour’s chances, insisting the by-election was a “two-horse race” between the SNP and Reform UK. That prediction proved inaccurate as Labour mounted an effective ground campaign, returning to a seat they had held before the SNP’s rise in the 2010s.

In his victory speech, Mr Russell condemned both the SNP’s record in office and the rise of Reform UK, saying: “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."

He also directly addressed Reform UK’s controversial presence in the campaign. “This community has 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.”

The campaign had turned increasingly bitter in recent weeks.

Labour and the SNP both accused Reform of racism over an online video ad that featured distorted remarks from Mr Sarwar and falsely suggested he intended to prioritise the Pakistani community. The video was published on social media platforms owned by Meta and is now subject to formal complaints.

Mr Farage defended the ad, claiming Mr Sarwar was engaging in “sectarian politics”. In response, Mr Sarwar labelled Mr Farage “a pathetic, poisonous little man”.

Reform UK’s deputy leader Richard Tice, who attended the count, said he was “thrilled to bits” with the third-place finish.

“It’s a fantastic result, just a few hundred votes away from the SNP, nobody predicted that,” he told PA. Mr Tice described the performance as a “massive boost” and said the party would take time to assess how to capitalise on the momentum ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections.

Reform UK has yet to win an election in Scotland but has grown its vote share in several recent by-elections. The party’s rise, even if not translating to victory, reflects mounting dissatisfaction among some voters with both the SNP and Labour.

Ms Loudon, the SNP candidate and former councillor, endured her third electoral defeat in the area, having lost the Rutherglen and Hamilton West Westminster by-election in 2023 and again in the 2024 general election.

Mr Swinney said she had “fought a superb SNP campaign” and expressed disappointment at the outcome, stating: "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."

Scottish constitution secretary Angus Robertson echoed that sentiment, calling for the party to “look very closely” at the result and “learn the lessons” in time for the upcoming national elections.

The 44.2 per cent turnout, relatively high for a by-election, suggests strong local engagement, reported the Guardian. Scottish Labour's campaign benefited from a highly organised ground operation, including multiple candidate visits, targeted digital advertising, and door-to-door engagement. Senior Labour figures said some homes had been canvassed up to four times.

The by-election’s outcome is particularly meaningful for Mr Sarwar, who has faced internal challenges and a dip in polling since Labour’s strong showing in the previous general election.

Labour hopes this latest victory will echo their 2023 success in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, which provided a springboard into the following general election.

Mr Russell, a lifelong resident of the area from the village of Quarter, previously worked in local government. Despite limited media appearances during the campaign, including a refusal to attend an STV debate, his local credentials and the party’s strategic campaigning appear to have resonated with voters.