Politicians making final push for votes ahead of Holyrood by-election

Scotland’s political leaders will hit the campaign trail for the final time today ahead of a Holyrood by-election.

With voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse going to the polls on Thursday, June 5, parties are making their final push for votes, with both First Minister John Swinney and the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar expected in the constituency on Wednesday.

It comes in the wake of a campaign which has been, for the most part, dominated by the rise in support for Reform UK – and a row over one of the party’s online adverts.

The ad alleged that Mr Sarwar would “prioritise” the Pakistani community – but it was quickly branded racist by Labour, who together with rivals in the SNP demanded it should be taken down.

SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney meanwhile urged voters in the constituency to back his party in a bid to “stop Nigel Farage”.

His plea comes after an opinion poll in Scotland last month indicated Reform could come second in next year’s Holyrood elections, ahead of both Labour and the Tories.

Speaking ahead of the by-election, which is taking place after the death of Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, Mr Swinney said that the campaign “has made it crystal clear that the SNP is the only party listening to people and taking action on what matters to them”.

The First Minister claimed: “The Labour Party has lost its way and Keir Starmer’s abject failure to deliver on his promises has led to the concerning rise of Nigel Farage across the UK – something that will worry many across Scotland.

“Farage does not care about Scotland, and he also poses a threat to many of the things that we hold dear – our NHS, our parliament, and transformative policies like free tuition.”

Mr Swinney insisted: “This by-election is an opportunity to reject the politics of Farage and make sure Scotland’s interests are front and centre, and only a vote for the SNP will do that.”

However, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie insisted: “The Reform circus is nothing but a convenient distraction for the SNP – this by-election is a direct fight between Scottish Labour and the SNP.”

She said that Thursday’s poll gives voters “the chance to put this incompetent SNP government on notice and chart a new direction for the whole of Scotland”.

Ms Baillie stated: “The SNP’s woeful record is plain to see here – chaos in local NHS services, high streets in decline, and a generation of young people let down.

“The SNP government has failed this community and Katy Loudon has made it clear she will toe the party line no matter what – but Davy Russell will be a tireless champion for the community he calls home.”