The latest Labour Party by-election victory occurred in the constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, where Labour candidate Michael Shanks won the seat, marking a significant win for the Labour Party over the Scottish National Party (SNP). Shanks secured more than twice the votes of his SNP rival Katy Loudon, with a total of 17,845 votes compared to Loudon’s 8,399 votes.

This victory resulted in a notable swing of 20% from the SNP to Labour(1)

Britain’s Labour Party claims ‘seismic’ win in Scottish vote.

The win was described as ‘seismic’ and is seen as a step towards re-establishing Labour’s dominance in Scotland, with some experts like polling guru Prof John Curtice, suggesting that this could be a turning point for the Labour Party in the region (2). The by-election was treated as an important battleground by both the SNP and Scottish Labour, particularly in the run-up to the next UK general election. Labour leaders expressed that a win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West could act as a springboard for the party, potentially aiding its performance in future elections including the general elections (3).

Keir Starmer, the Labour Party leader, hailed the by-election win as a ‘big step’ towards achieving broader electoral success, reflecting a change within the party and a strong endorsement from the electorate in Rutherglen and Hamilton West (4).