KEIR Starmer and Anas Sarwar have both hailed the Labour win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West as a “seismic” victory.
Michael Shanks was declared the new MP for the constituency after defeating the SNP’s Katy Loudon by 17,845 votes to 8399.
The UK Labour leader said the win showed his party’s message of change was cutting through, while the Scottish Labour chief said he believed it had “flipped Scottish politics on its head”.
READ MORE: LIVE: Updates as Labour win second Scottish MP at by-election
Speaking after the results were announced, Starmer said: “This is a seismic result. People in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have sent a clear message - it is time for change.
“And it is clear they believe that this changed Labour Party can deliver it.
“I have always said that winning back the trust of people in Scotland is essential. Tonight’s victory is the culmination of three and a half years of hard work and humility on that journey.
“I am grateful to everyone who has put their faith in us today – we will work every day to repay it.
“Voters across Scotland and across Britain want a government determined to deliver for working people, with a proper plan to rebuild our country.
“They want to move on from two SNP and Tory governments that offer only more division, more chaos and more infighting.
“The country deserves a government firmly on their side and focused on their priorities – and Labour will deliver that for them.”
The results mean there was a 20.4% swing from SNP to Labour, however, turnout was low, with only 37.19% of the 82,104 voters in the constituency turning out to cast their ballot.
READ MORE: Fewer than 40 per cent of voters turn out for Rutherglen and Hamilton by-election
Sarwar, speaking to journalists at the count, hailed the win as “more than double” the SNP vote.
“This is a historic night in Scottish politics, it is a seismic result,” he said.
“And I think it has flipped Scottish politics on its head and I think it's now getting clear that the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West have sent a message to two failing governments that they’re sick of incompetence, they’re sick of the chaos, they’re sick of the division and they are ready for change and desperate for change.
“And the vehicle for change across the country is the Scottish Labour Party and Scotland will lead the way in electing a UK Labour government.”
Asked what he believes the win means for next year’s General Election, Sarwar said: “I think this demonstrates that Labour is winning in every single part of the country.
“And that Labour is persuading people that an alternative future is possible, that we can move on from the managed decline, we can move on from the chaos pitting Scot against Scot or community against community, and instead bring our country together for change and deliver a Labour government.”
The results gave Labour a majority 9446, with Shanks having polled more than 58% of the votes cast.
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