THE race for an upcoming Westminster by-election is entering its final stages and bookmakers have had their say on the likely winner.
Voters in Aberdeen South will go to the polls for the second time in two years on Thursday after Stephen Flynn quit the Commons to become an MSP.
The contest looks like a two-horse race between the SNP and the Tories.
Labour and the Tories are fresh off the back of their worst-ever Scottish Parliament election results but the SNP face challenges too in the wake of the Peter Murrell scandal.
The future of the oil and gas sector looms large over the contest in this part of north east Scotland and both the SNP and Tories have sought to position themselves as the champions of the industry.
Labour are being hampered by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s opposition to new oil and gas exploration and the SNP face scrutiny over their opposition to new drilling.
What are the odds on who will win the Aberdeen South by-election?
The SNP are the favourites to win. Betfred puts them on 4/9 while the Tories come second with odds of 7/4.
Reform UK are on 33/1 while Labour are behind on 50/1. The Scottish Greens are on 500/1, as are the LibDems.
Who are the candidates in the Aberdeen South by-election?
Richard Thomson, former MP for Gordon, is standing for the SNP. The Scottish Tories have put forward Douglas Lumsden, currently a list MSP for North East Scotland.
Jo Hart is the Reform UK candidate and Jorg Shelton-Eckstein is standing for the Greens. Labour have put forward Nurul Hoque Ali and Mel Sullivan is the LibDem candidate. David Ballantine is the candidate for the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom.
