Angela Rayner has insisted Scottish Labour’s candidate in the Hamilton by-election is “in it to win it”, despite claims the race has become a contest between the SNP and Reform UK.
The Deputy Prime Minister visited the Holyrood constituency to campaign on Thursday, but protesters forced her to change the location of planned media interviews.
Voters go to the polls on June 5 in the by-election in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency, which was called following the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie.
SNP leader John Swinney has appealed to Labour supporters to back his party in order to defeat Nigel Farage’s Reform.
Scottish Labour’s campaign for the seat has also come under scrutiny as candidate Davy Russell refused to take part in a TV debate ahead of the ballot and did not appear on a morning radio show.
Speaking to journalists during her trip, Ms Rayner said Mr Russell is a “local person who has lived here all his life, he really believes in championing his community”.
Asked about suggestions Labour could finish third behind Reform, she said: “Davy Russell’s in it to win it. He wants to be here, not for the short-term, but he’s been serving his community here for 45 years.
“Once the by-election is over, he’ll be here still serving his community, that’s what this campaign is about, it’s a grassroots campaign.”
The Deputy Prime Minister said she has not seen a campaign video by Reform attacking Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and accusing him of prioritising the Pakistani community.
The online ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of Mr Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any one group.
Ms Rayner repeated her attacks on Mr Farage, calling him a “snake oil salesman that just wants to sow division”.
Reform UK has defended the video and said it was merely highlighting Mr Sarwar’s own words.
Asked about the protests which led to her planned media interviews moving locations, Ms Rayner said: “I know that those protesters are upset about what’s happening in the situation in Gaza, and that situation is intolerable, and I completely understand why people are upset about that.”
