Why Reform was the other big winner in the Hamilton by-election

The Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election is a surprise win for Labour – giving the party a much needed boost with eleven months to the full Scottish Parliament vote.

But the other big winner was Reform UK who finished third behind the SNP. They recorded their best ever parliamentary election result in Scotland – with a 26% share of the vote.

The party’s deputy leader Richard Tice said the result was a “massive boost” going into the 2026 vote.

If John Swinney is to remain as Scotland’s first minister, it seems he cannot rely on presenting the SNP as the only alternative to Nigel Farage and Reform UK.

Both the SNP and Labour lost vote share in this by-election but the punishment for the SNP, in power at Holyrood for the last 18 years, was far greater.

They repeatedly framed this contest as a two horse race between them and Reform UK. Their billboards in the constituency still make that claim. It was obviously wrong.

In reality, this was a three horse race that Labour won by a nose to take the seat from the SNP – which now has big questions to ask itself about its strategy for 2026.

If Reform can do half as well in the contest next May, they can expect to have their first MSPs elected and gain a significant foothold at Holyrood.

That would break the traditional consensus that Scotland needs more immigration to fill job vacancies and offset the effects of an ageing population.

The established parties acknowledge that concerns about immigration featured in this by-election in a way they have not before.

The biggest losers in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse are the Conservatives who finished a distant fourth and appear to be struggling to counter the rise of Reform.

Defeat here is a significant setback for the Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay and offers no encouragement to Kemi Badenoch and the UK party.

This is also not a victory that Sir Keir Starmer can really claim as his own.

Labour said in recent days that they had identified enough support to beat the SNP and it seems a successful ground operation got those voters to turnout.

But Starmer’s popularity in Scotland has plummeted since he swept to power last summer, heavily defeating the SNP.

Decisions like cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners seem to have harmed his standing and that policy is to be revised, perhaps as early as next week.

The prime minister made no appearance in the campaign despite announcing the strategic defence review in Glasgow on Monday.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has acknowledged public discontent with the UK Labour government.

He said that voters had made clear their frustrations and that Sir Keir Starmer must now go further and faster in delivering the economic change he promised at the general election.

This by-election outcome alters the prevailing narrative in Scottish politics.

After defeating the SNP across much of the central belt of Scotland last summer, Labour has lost ground.

National opinion polling has them heavily trailing the SNP in Holyrood voting intentions.

This by-election result runs counter to that trend, albeit that it is a localised win on a low turnout.

Voters consistently told anyone who would listen that they were fed up with politicians of all stripes, not least those in power at Holyrood and Westminster.

Before next May’s election, John Swinney hopes to be able to demonstrate improvements in public services like the NHS.

And labour will argue the nationalists have already had too long and that a change of government is required.

This by-election has restored some confidence in Scottish Labour and reminded the SNP that they can take nothing for granted.

But it has put all parties on notice that Reform UK could – for the first time – be a significant force in Scottish politics.