The Latest Breaking News on John Swinney defends ‘two-horse race’ comments after by-election loss to Labour

The First Minister said ‘I called it the way I saw it’ when asked about his description of the Hamilton by-election.

ASK ME ANYTHING: Our chief political commentator John Rentoul answers your questions as Nigel Farage’s Reform surges in the polls, capitalising on widespread voter disillusionment and posing a serious challenge to the political establishment

Victory over SNP and Reform sends strong signal to Scotland’s political parties before next May’s Holyrood elections

The Prime Minister congratulated Labour’s new MSP Davy Russell and looked ahead to next year’s Scottish Parliament election.

NEWS ANALYSIS: A Scottish Labour win in the Hamilton by-election has handed the prime minister a much needed boost, but the result reveals that Reform is a growing threat in parts of the UK Nigel Farage has never appealed to before, writes David Maddox

Labour’s Davy Russell said the win sent a message to Nigel Farage and “his mob”

Victory in Hamilton by Davy Russell signals growing challenge to SNP and resistance to Farage's Reform UK

'People need to change the script' says Sarwar as Russell’s victory in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election marks a major upset for the SNP

Davy Russell won the contest, with the SNP coming narrowly ahead of Reform.