As votes were counted, the spotlight was on Rutherglen and Hamilton West during the recent by-election. With a 20% swing, Labour celebrated their “seismic” victory, electing Michael Shanks as their new MP. Meanwhile, the SNP were left to regroup after losing the seat. Despite feelings of disappointment among some voters, many were not surprised by the result.
For example, Conor Campbell, a 26-year-old SNP voter, expected the loss. “It’s to be expected after the recent issues with the party,” he said, adding that the party would need to refocus on issues such as young people, domestic violence, and homelessness to regain support. Additionally, turnout for the vote was dramatically lower than in the last general election, with only 37.19% of eligible voters participating.
The requirement for photographic ID also slowed the voting process for many constituents, including longtime Labour supporter Edith Hutchinson. Despite this, she expressed satisfaction with the result and hopes it signals a comeback for the party. Local resident Liz Harris, who also voted for Labour, felt that while they were “the best of a bad bunch,” the result was not surprising given the area’s history.
Meanwhile, SNP voter Mary Kennedy expressed sadness at the potential impact of the election on Scottish independence: “I’m so sad that we won’t get independence. We need it, we want free from Westminster.” Rutherglen resident Douglas Macdonald, who volunteered with the Salvation Army for over 70 years, voted strategically to remove the SNP. He said, “I always vote, if you don’t vote you can’t complain about who gets in and what they’re doing. So you have got to vote.”
However, not all constituents participated in the election. Kieran Paterson, a 26-year-old security worker, did not vote, feeling that “realistically none of this is ever going to affect me.” He cited a lack of results and a need for more police in the area as factors that would convince him to participate in future elections. Chris Hutton, who has not voted since he was 16, shared his skepticism towards politics, feeling that politicians are “not out to help the public or anyone else.”
In summary, the by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West saw a significant win for Labour, with a notable decrease in voter turnout. While some constituents were unhappy with the result, others were not surprised and hope to see change in the focus and actions of political parties in future elections
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