JOHN Swinney has given his final message to voters ahead of the crucial Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on Thursday.
The First Minister urged people to vote for the SNP "to stop [Nigel] Farage", as he warned of the "concerning rise" of the Reform UK leader.
Both Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar are expected to visit the constituency on Wednesday, for the final day of campaigning before the polls open.
It comes after the Reform UK leader's visit to the constituency on Monday, where he hid from the public and the press after protesters tracked down where he was due to speak to the media.
Swinney said on Wednesday: “Tomorrow, the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse have an opportunity to chart a different course for Scotland. “This campaign has made it crystal clear that the SNP is the only party listening to people and taking action on what matters to them; from bringing back the Winter Fuel Payment to investing record sums in our NHS."
Swinney (above) said that the Labour Party "has lost its way" as he continued: "Keir Starmer’s abject failure to deliver on his promises has led to the concerning rise of Nigel Farage across the UK – something that will worry many across Scotland. “Farage does not care about Scotland, and he also poses a threat to many of the things that we hold dear: our NHS, our parliament and transformative policies like free tuition. “This by-election is an opportunity to reject the politics of Farage and make sure Scotland’s interests are front and centre, and only a vote for the SNP will do that."
Loudon, the SNP's by-election candidate, said local communities have been "let down" by Labour, while the "extreme language" of Reform UK has served only as a distraction.
She said: “The Labour-run council cut school bus provision from 8000 pupils and at UK-level they took away the Winter Fuel Payment from 36,000 South Lanarkshire pensioners. “And now Farage has appeared, churning out extreme language in the hopes that people won’t see it for what it is – a distraction. “The people of this community deserve better. They deserve an MSP who is always on their side. “That is what I hope to be. I will always stand up for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse and against those who are letting down Scotland.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour, which has put forward Davy Russell as their candidate, said that Reform UK were a "convenient distraction" for the SNP as they insisted that Thursday's by-election is "a direct fight between Scottish Labour and the SNP".
The party's deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said that Thursday’s poll gives voters “the chance to put this incompetent SNP Government on notice and chart a new direction for the whole of Scotland”.
She stated: “The SNP’s woeful record is plain to see here – chaos in local NHS services, high streets in decline, and a generation of young people let down.
“The SNP Government has failed this community and Katy Loudon has made it clear she will toe the party line no matter what – but Davy Russell will be a tireless champion for the community he calls home.”
The by-election on June 5 is being held following the death of MSP and SNP Government minister Christina McKelvie.
The polls will open at 7am on Thursday and will close at 10pm.
