If you’re just waking up to the news of Labour’s by-election win, the chances are you might be feeling a bit surprised.
Certainly the bookies, pollsters and commentators who had this down as an SNP hold will be.
Taking a step back, the SNP has been in power for 18 years, and Labour won a landslide at a general election less than a year ago. This seat is in probably their strongest area of the country too.
But the narrative of recent months has been incredibly negative for Anas Sarwar’s party, chiefly driven by the unpopular decisions being taken at Westminster.
Sir Keir Starmer did not campaign in this by-election, despite the fact he was just 17 miles away in Glasgow on Monday.
And ultimately this hasn’t been a great display of love for Labour - they lost two percentage points from the vote share they got in 2021.
But the SNP’s share was down almost 17 points. That collapse, along with the 26% of the vote secured by Reform, is a significant sub-plot.
This seat is by no means a “Scotland in miniature” bellwether, but the result provides significant momentum going into next year’s Holyrood election.
Scotland's front pages cover the appointment of Russell Martin as the new Rangers head coach and a sizeable bill for potholes in Edinburgh.
But few mention the result in South Lanarkshire.
You can see a full review of the Scottish front pages here.
Scottish Labour’s Davy Russell has edged out the SNP and Reform UK to win the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
On the BBC's latest episode of Scotcast, Martin Geissler asks election expert Prof Sir John Curtice if the outcome tells us anything about the Scottish Parliament elections in 2026.
Image source, PA MediaIf you're just ing us, Scottish Labour's Davy Russell has won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
He pushed the SNP into second, with the Reform UK candidate coming third.
Here's a reminder of how the major parties fared in the by-election.
Labour have gained the seat from the SNP, while Reform UK took third place.
It was a grim night for the Conservatives, finishing in fourth and thousands of votes behind Nigel Farage's upstart party.
The Greens took fifth and the Liberal Democrats sixth.
Fringe parties and an independent candidate filled out the remaining four places.
Davy Russell celebrates with jubilant party colleagues, including Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar
Let's look back to the first words from Davy Russell as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
"I'm so proud to be elected as member of the Scottish Parliament of my home and my community", the victorious Russell said as he addressed ers at the count.
Russell says he will work every single day to put his community first.
The electorate have voted to take a new direction with Scottish Labour, he adds.
"We all feel we've been let down by the SNP.
"After nearly two decades, they don't deserve another chance."
He goes on to say the community has also sent a message to "Farage and his mob" that the "poison of Reform" isn't for Scotland.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was beaming with joy after the by-election result was announced.
Some political commentators had tipped his party to come in third, behind the SNP and Reform.
Instead, it was Labour's Davy Russell who won the seat.
Lynsey Bews
BBC Scotland political correspondent at the count in Hamilton
Scottish Labour have secured an important victory in this by-election.
The fact the result feels like an upset speaks volumes about the party’s position both in the campaign and the wider political landscape.
Labour’s chances in this by-election had been talked down by their opponents, with speculation they could even end up finishing third behind Reform UK.
Meanwhile, Anas Sarwar’s hopes of becoming first minister next year had been seen as fading fast.
While this is only one by-election, it is a vital shot in the arm to Scottish Labour.
Image source, PA MediaDavy Russell emerged victorious
If you're just ing us, Labour have secured a remarkable victory in the by-election for the Scottish Parliament constituency of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
Here are the key take-aways:
Image source, Getty ImagesThe incoming MSP said his local community had dismissed Reform's policies
Victorious Labour candidate Davy Russell said his win sent a message to Nigel Farage "and his mob" that Reform UK policies are not wanted in Scotland.
Reform leader Farage visited the Hamilton area at the start of the week, during a controversial campaign dominated by allegations of racism towards the party for an advert claiming Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was looking to prioritise the Pakistani community.
Russell said the local community had shown "the poison of Reform isn't us, it isn't Scotland and we don't want your division here".
Image source, PAScottish Labour's Davy Russell arrives at the count before being declared winner
Labour's Davy Russell has emerged victorious in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
His opponents and political commentators criticised him for declining to appear on a televised hustings debate or to give many interviews.
So who is Davy Rusell?
The 63-year-old was raised and still lives in the village of Quarter in the constituency.
He started out as a local apprentice, fixing roads, and went on to work at a senior level in local government.
Russell is a charity trustee, raises money for a hospice and has served as deputy lord lieutenant, representing the King at local events.
During the campaign, Russell said his top priority was fixing the NHS and bringing down waiting lists.
He said he would campaign to end the 8am rush for GP appointments and fight Scottish government plans to downgrade the neonatal unit at University Hospital Wishaw.
He also said he would work hard to revitalise towns and villages, with investments in high streets, road and leisure facilities.
Image source, Getty ImagesJohn Swinney made several visits to the constituency during the by-election campaign
John Swinney says there is "work to do" for the SNP after this by-election result.
The first minister made several visits to the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency during the by-election campaign in of his now-defeated candidate Katy Loudon.
On social media site X after the result was announced, Swinney wrote: "Congratulations to Davy Russell on his election as MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. @KatyLoudonSNP fought a superb @theSNP campaign. We have made progress since the election last year but not enough. We still have work to do and we will do it."
The first minister previously claimed the by-election was a two-horse race between the SNP and Reform UK.
Image source, PA MediaScottish Labour colleagues including Monica Lennon, Jackie Baillie and Anas Sarwar celebrate with new MSP Davy Russell
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar tells BBC Scotland "People have made it clear that they do want a Labour government to move much more quickly in demonstrating the improvement in their lives."
Sarwar says the electorate have shown they are sick of the SNP and have ultimately rejected the politics of Nigel Farage and of Reform.
He adds this is the first path in a road to electing a Scottish Labour government at Holyrood next year.
"We have, in this by-election, proven the pollsters wrong, the political commentators wrong and the bookies wrong."
The Scottish Labour says leader expects to win the Scottish election next year and become Scotland's first minister.
Professor Sir John Curtice has been looking at the numbers, and tells BBC Scotland's Martin Geissler that there is nothing from tonight that runs against the bigger political picture, with Labour's vote share down.
That means the party's recent revival "has disappeared", but while the SNP have "steadied the ship" since last summer, it failed to make progress.
As the SNP vote share declined slightly more than the national average, it cost them the by-election - and Curtice notes the Greens taking several hundred votes could have hurt the SNP.
Reform's success is a surprise, says the polling expert - tonight almost matched their best performance in a Scottish election. He adds tonight is "very bad news" for the Tories, who are "being had for breakfast, lunch and dinner" by Reform with the public.
Both the SNP and Labour need to think about how to deal with Reform, says Curtice, pointing to how both parties gave a lot of publicity to Reform. He estimates around one in six Labour voters from last year is now drifting to Nigel Farage's party, and it has a "lot of work" to do to regain them.
Angus Roberson congratulates Davy Russell on his victory and says his heart goes out to defeated SNP candidate Katy Loudon.
The SNP minister adds the vote share of the SNP, Tories and Labour is all down, but the SNP will need to "look very closely" at what happened tonight and "learn the lessons" for 2026.
If you're just ing us, Scottish Labour's Davy Russell has won the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election.
He pushed the SNP into second, with the Reform UK candidate coming third.
Richard Tice says Reform are "thrilled to bits" with how the party performed tonight, and that it was a "remarkable result".
The party's deputy leader tells BBC Scotland it is a huge boost for Reform going into the Holyrood elections next year, and rejects claims the party has created a poisonous atmosphere in Scottish politics.
"People don't want a disruptor interfering with the cosy establishment built up between the SNP and Labour" he says, before going on to claim that other parties are "terrified" of Reform's progress.
Labour MSP Paul O'Kane says it's an "outstanding result" and reflects the campaign the party ran.
"It's testament to Davy Russell and his presence in the community."
He says it clearly puts to bed the notion that Labour are anything other than on the pitch for 2026.
"Anas Sarwar is ready to deliver a new direction for Scotland as first minister.
"It is a remarkable result."
Davy Russell celebrates with jubilant party colleagues, including Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar
"I'm so proud to be elected as member of the Scottish Parliament of my home and my community", says the victorious Davy Russell as he addresses the count.
The Labour candidate says he will work every single day to put his community first.
The electorate have voted to take a new direction with Scottish Labour, he adds.
"We all feel we've been let down by the SNP.
"After nearly two decades, they don't deserve another chance."
He goes on to say the community has also sent a message to "Farage and his mob" that the "poison of Reform" isn't for Scotland.
