VOTERS have been going to the polls today in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse to choose their new MSP.
Scotland's First Minister has described the by-election as a "two-horse race" between his SNP and Nigel Farage's Reform UK.
The vote is taking place after the sad death of SNP MSP and former minister Christina McKelvie, who died aged 57 while receiving treatment for breast cancer.
McKelvie held the seat for the SNP since 2011, and saw a comfortable win in 2021 with a majority of 4582 over Labour.
However, Reform UK have thrown everything at this by-election (including an open-top bus, "racist" ads and a Nigel Farage visit) and are hoping to sneak into second place.
Speaking before the polls opened, Swinney was adamant that people need to vote for SNP candidate Katy Loudon if they want to “stop Farage”.
The First Minister insisted: “People face a simple choice in this by-election.
“They can either vote for the SNP – elect an SNP MSP – or they will end up with a Reform MSP. That’s the simple choice.”
See the odds for the Hamilton by-election according to William Hill
- SNP - 1/7 favourites to win
- Reform UK - 5/1
- Labour - 9/1
- Tories - 100/1
- LibDems - 200/1
Polls are open in the constituency until 10pm, with the result expected to be known in the early hours of Friday.
