A “resounding” hit. British Labor described its victory in Scotland as guaranteeing another seat in parliament.
English newspapers are talking about the 2024 general elections, with Labor leading the way.
The position has been open since August with the departure of Margaret Ferrier in 2020 after being accused of breaching regulations during the Covid-19 pandemic and as a result of a constituents’ petition. Ferrier was already an independent in the British Parliament, having previously been a member of the Scottish National Party.
By-elections were held on Thursday for the Scottish constituencies of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, outside Glasgow.
Michael Shanks will now replace Margaret Ferrier. Shanks defeated SNP (Scottish National Party) candidate Katie Loudon with 17,845 votes to Loudon’s 8,399 votes – a margin of 9,446.
By winning this seat, Labor hopes it will be a turning point, not just in Scotland, but across the whole of the United Kingdom, which is due for a general election in 2024. Labor is leading in the polls.
That’s why Anas Sarwar, Labor leader in Scotland, said the result marked “a seismic night in Scotland” and demonstrated that “the politics of Scotland have changed”. Voters sent a “clear message that they are fed up with two tired, failed and incompetent governments”. The same seismic term was used by Labor leader Keir Starmer. “I have always said that we need to regain the confidence of the people of Scotland. “Tonight’s victory is the culmination of three and a half years of hard work and humility,” he declared.
It was the first test for new SNP leader Hamza Yusuf, who was sworn in as Scotland’s first minister in March.
Hamza Yousaf wins the BNS election and becomes the next Prime Minister of Scotland
He opined that these elections were always going to be difficult as a deputy was expelled from the party for violating Covid rules. Now the party needs to analyze what it can do to win back these voters, he says.
The constituency’s parliamentary seat has alternated between the SNP and Labor in the last three general elections. Labor lost the seat in 2015, regained it in 2017, but was defeated again in 2019. Now it has to win again.
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