The Labour Party has emerged victorious in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, defeating the Scottish National Party (SNP). Labour’s candidate, Michael Shanks, amassed 17,845 votes to secure the Westminster seat, more than doubling the total polled by the SNP’s Katy Loudon. The SNP’s loss to Labour resulted in a 20.4% swing between the two parties.
The by-election was necessitated following the ousting of former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier by her constituents for breaking Covid rules. The SNP and Labour both viewed the by-election as an opportunity to score an early win ahead of the next general election. Although SNP had initially felt positive about their chances, the results have dealt SNP a setback.
Mr. Shanks, Labour’s now-elected MP, expressed the honor he felt in serving the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West. According to him, his campaign offered a “fresh start” for people in the region, breaking from the divisiveness of the SNP and Conservative governments. Meanwhile, voter turnout for the election experienced a significant drop from 66.5% recorded at the last general election to 37.19%.
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