Michael Shanks takes victory in contest that Labour considered a crucial test of apparent turnaround of its fortunes in Scotland

Scottish Labour’s Michael Shanks has won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West byelection in an overwhelming victory over the SNP that the party leadership declared “seismic”, and a clear demonstration that Scotland could lead the way in delivering a Labour government at Westminster at the coming general election.

In a result that exceeded Scottish Labour expectation, Shanks beat his closest rival, the SNP’s Katy Loudon, by 17,845 votes to 8,399 – a majority of 9,446 and a resounding swing of over 20%.

  • frog 🐸@beehaw.orgEnglish
    3·
    9 months ago

    The biggest shame, IMHO, is that the Tories are so toxic and greedy that they have fucked up the ENTIRE UK which could otherwise be a great and productive union. There could be ‘enough to go round’ and create unity rather than embittered divisions.

    Beautifully said! It’s Tory mismanagement that’s ruined the entire UK, and I reckon with an actual decent government that promites genuine unity and fairness, would render independence unnecessary and undesirable.

      • frog 🐸@beehaw.orgEnglish
        3·
        9 months ago

        Me too. I wish I could make it happen. Or, you know, that I could give you the ability to make it happen. Either is good. I wish we had a system where people that want to make things better actually stood a chance of getting somewhere, instead of those who are only in it for themselves.