Labour wins pivotal Scottish by-election over SNP and Reform

In a surprise victory, Scottish Labour, led by Davy Russell, won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, defeating the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) by 602 votes amid a turnout of 44%. The result, which shows Labour’s vote share at 31.6% compared to SNP’s 29.4% and Reform UK’s 26.1%, boosts Anas Sarwar’s leadership as they aim to challenge the SNP’s 19-year dominance ahead of the 2026 elections. The campaign was marred by a racism controversy involving Reform UK’s advertising, yet the party claims significant momentum from this close contest.