Sir Keir Starmer trumpeted a “fantastic” by-election win for Labour as it pulled off a shock result in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
Labour’s Davy Russell was elected as the new MSP for the region with 8,559 votes, despite his party being widely tipped to lose out after falling behind in the polls.
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney had declared the contest a "two horse race" between the SNP and Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
However, the SNP finished second with the party’s Katy Loudon receiving 7,957 votes, closely followed by Reform’s Ross Lambie with 7,088 votes in third.
Congratulations to @DavyRussell4HLS and the team on a fantastic victory.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 6, 2025
People in Scotland have once again voted for change. Next year there is a chance to turbo charge delivery by putting Labour in power on both sides of the border.
I look forward to working with you.
Sir Keir posted on X: “Congratulations to @DavyRussell4HLS and the team on a fantastic victory.
“People in Scotland have once again voted for change.
“Next year there is a chance to turbo charge delivery by putting Labour in power on both sides of the border.”
Mr Russell claimed his victory sent a message to Mr Farage and "his mob".
Reform is yet to win an election in Scotland, but deputy party leader Richard Tice said coming third in the contest was a "massive boost for us".
He insisted: "We're thrilled to bits, absolutely delighted."
However, Mr Russell, who won the seat with a swing of 7.4% from the SNP to Labour, said the community had "sent a message to Farage and his mob tonight - the poison of Reform isn't us, it isn't Scotland and we don't want your division here".
He added: "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."
It comes just hours after Mr Farage’s party was dealt a major blow when the Reform chairman, Zia Yusuf, resigned.
Mr Yusuf announced his resignation yesterday, saying he no longer thought “working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time.”
The bitterly-fought by-election win comes against the backdrop of national polls which place Scottish Labour in third place behind the SNP and Reform UK and will undoubtedly give a boost to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's bid to become First Minister in next year's election.
Speaking after the declaration, Mr Sarwar, who was attacked by Reform in a “racism” row, 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."
Mr Swinney said Ms Loudon had "fought a superb SNP campaign" and that he was "clearly disappointed" they were unable to win.
"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," he added.
The by-election took place after the death of Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, and comes less than a year before next May's Holyrood elections,
