October 6th 2023.
The Labour Party are celebrating a resounding victory in Scotland's first recall by-election. Labour candidate Michael Shanks won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat with an absolute landslide, securing more than twice the votes of his SNP rival Katy Loudon.
Sir Keir Starmer, Labour Party leader, hailed the result as a 'seismic' victory and said that it sent a clear message that it was 'time for change', and that people believed that the 'changed Labour Party can deliver it'.
The by-election saw the SNP's majority overturned by Labour after Mr Shanks won 17,845 votes, far ahead of the 8,399 votes returned for Ms Loudon. With over 58% of the votes cast, Mr Shanks now has a majority of 9,446.
The result of the by-election is sure to pile more pressure on SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf. It follows an ongoing police investigation into SNP finances, and the SNP's fortunes have been declining in the polls as a result.
The by-election was called after a recall petition against Margaret Ferrier, who had won the seat for the SNP in 2019 with a majority of 5,230. Ms Ferrier had her SNP whip removed after breaching Covid rules in 2020, and after remaining as an independent MP was suspended from the House of Commons, resulting in the recall petition.
The Scottish Conservatives came in third place, with Thomas Kerr polling 1,192 ahead of Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Gloria Adebo and Scottish Green Party candidate Cameron Eadie who secured 895 and 601 votes respectively. A total of 30,531 votes were cast in the by-election, with turnout standing at 37.2%, well below the 66.5% turnout in the last general election.
SNP candidate Katy Louden lost the seat with Mr Shanks securing double the number of votes. Mr Yousaf, who made frequent visits to the constituency during the election campaign, conceded it had been a 'disappointing night' for the SNP. He said the buck stopped with him if his party failed to hold on to the seat, and that the 'collapse in the Tory vote' had gone straight to Labour, which was a 'significant factor' in the result.
Labour were thrilled with the result, with Sir Keir Starmer hailing it as a 'seismic result' and a sign that people were ready to put their trust in Labour. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said it was a 'historic moment' in Scottish politics, and that the people were 'sick of two failing governments'.
Mr Shanks declared that the result showed that 'there is no part of this country where Labour can't win', and said it was the 'honour of his life' to be elected as MP for the area.
Labour are hoping that the result in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will be a springboard for the next general election, expected to be held sometime next year. Their aim is to kick the Tories out of Downing Street and deliver the change people want and this country so badly needs.
It's clear that the result of this by-election sent shockwaves through the SNP, and the party will have to reflect on what they need to do to regain the trust of the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
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