UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Scots had “expressed a desire for change” after his party's surprise by-election victory.
Mr Starmer congratulated Labour's Davie Russell on his election as the new Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Hamilton and looked forward to next year's Scottish Parliament elections, saying it was an opportunity to “get things moving faster”.
Mr Russell took up the seat in the constituency south-east of Glasgow, which was left vacant by the death of Scottish Government minister and SNP MP Christine McKelvie.
On Friday morning, Mr Starmer posted the following message on social media: “The people of Scotland have voted for change again.
“Next year there is an opportunity to accelerate the delivery of promises by bringing Labour to power on both sides of the border. I look forward to working with you.”
The Labour candidate for deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire has defeated the SNP's Katie Loudon, who suffered her third defeat since 2023.
The victory came amid national polls that put Scottish Labour third behind the SNP and Reform UK, and is sure to bolster Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar's bid to become First Minister at next year's election.
Mr Sarwar told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that he was confident Labour could win the contest.
Asked whether his party could defeat the Scottish National Party, which has been in power in Scotland since 2007, Mr Sarwar said: “Absolutely.
“I believed in it before the by-election and I continue to believe in it now.
“Next year the choice is clear – a third decade for the Scottish National Party with John Swinney as First Minister, or a new direction for Scotland with me as First Minister.
“This is a choice for the people of Scotland, this is a campaign for next year and I am confident we can win this fight.
“I believe that yesterday the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse paved the way for a change of government next year and a Scottish Labour government in the future.”
He also said he would “continue to challenge the poison of Reform”, making clear he was “talking about the people who lead Reform” and not those who “might be tempted” to vote for them.
Hamilton's election campaign was dominated by advertising from the Reform UK party, which Labour and others have called “racist”, claiming Mr Sarwar would “favor” the Pakistani community.
A surge in support for Nigel Farage's party saw it finish third in Hamilton, just 800 votes behind the SNP, although there had been speculation that the Reform Party could come second or even win the seat.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said the party was “pleased” with the outcome.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
