Hamilton by-election a damning indictment of Labour and SNP
Philip Stott
Labour have won the previously held SNP Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the by-election held on Thursday June 5. Its majority over the SNP was 600, with Reform UK, who came third, a further 900 votes behind. The by-election was called after the death of the sitting SNP MSP.
But this was no endorsement of Labour leader Anas Sarwar far less prime minster Keir Starmer. In truth, Labour did even worse than the last time this seat was fought in the 2021 Scottish parliament election.
Their share of the vote was down just over 2% in the constituency in an election in which overall at Holyrood they ended up in 3rd place behind the Tories.
Vanished is the “mile wide but inch deep” support from the July 2024 Westminster general election in which Scottish Labour won 37 of the 57 Scottish MPs. Evaporated in the glare of Labour’s onslaught on the poor and attacks on public services since Starmer became prime minister.
That Labour managed to defeat the SNP in Hamilton says much more about the brutal reality of SNP rule at Holyrood over the past 18 years.
Cuts, worsening queues for NHS treatment and a failure to stand up to the Tories and now Starmer saw them lose 17% in vote share compared to 2021.
There is no SNP recovery, despite the hatred towards Starmer who did not visit the constituency once during the campaign. Many of the minority who did vote took the opportunity to pass a verdict on almost two decades of SNP rule.
There is a therefore a massive political vacuum in working class areas of Scotland and a disgust towards the capitalist political establishment.
This was primarily reflected in the 56% who did not vote. Of those that did, just over 7000 voted for the Reform UK candidate who polled 26%, just 1500 votes behind the winning Labour candidate.
Reform make gains
This was Reform’s best result in a Scottish election and on a par with the recent 26% they won in a council by-election in Clydebank in May. Although its worth bearing in mind that Reform only won the support of 11% of those entitled to vote.
Yes, rising support for Reform and its right populism poses a real danger for the workers’ movement. They at times echo working class concerns, for example on winter fuel payments and the two child benefit cap. But above all Reform’s vote is a desperate attempt by sections of the working class to find a political vehicle for their interests.
And the best way to ensure the defeat of Reform is to build an authoritative left alternative in the shape of a mass workers’ party.
And its to that task that the trade union movement in particular must turn. The Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition did not stand a candidate in this by-election in order to avoid a clash with the SSP who did stand. The SSP received a modest vote of 1% coming seventh out of of 11 candidates.
working class alternative essential
What is crystal clear following the by-election is that the urgent need for a working class, socialist and trade union electoral alternative is even more urgent.
Socialist Party Scotland, Scottish TUSC and others, including trade union branches, Collective Scotland etc. have called a conference on October 4 in Glasgow to help prepare that challenge.
We’d urge all those who want to see such an alternative to get in touch and help built it.
Holyrood 2026 – For working class, trade union and socialist alternative
- Saturday October 4 1pm, Renfield Centre, Bath Street, Glasgow
