Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election: What have we learned?
Labour win with an over 20 per cent swing

Labour has won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election with a massive swing of 20.4 per cent.

Michael Shanks is now the constituency’s new MP after winning 17,845 votes, 58.6 per cent of the entire vote.

But what exactly does this win mean as the clock starts ticking on next year’s general election?

We take a look at five things we’ve learned on the back of Labour’s massive election win.

Labour can win again in Scotland

Michael Shanks’s victory doubles the number of Labour MPs in Scotland from one to two.

It is still small numbers compared to the 41 seats they won in the 2010 general election - but it shows that Labour are back to their winning ways north of the border.

And this could help give Sir Keir Starmer the keys to Number 10.

One of the ways Labour can win the next general election is by taking seats off of the SNP here in Scotland, and this by-election win shows they have the ability to do this.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Scottish Labour is now the party of change and tonight demonstrates Scotland will lead the way in delivering a Labour government.”

At least Ian Murray MP will have a fellow Scot to keep him company on the Labour benches now.

Humza Yousaf has some work to do

This is the first election test for Humza Yousaf since he became SNP leader and the First Minister.

His predecessor Nicola Sturgeon was lauded for her ability to win election after election during her eight years in power, so the pressure was on Mr Yousaf to see if he could replicate that.

Turns out, he can’t.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/rutherglen-and-hamilton-west-by-election-what-have-we-learned-4361840