Polls opens in Holyrood by-election that Swinney says is ‘two-horse race’

Voters are going to the polls in a Holyrood by-election that Scotland’s First Minister has said is a “two-horse race” between his SNP and Nigel Farage’s Reform.

Polling stations are now open in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat following a high profile campaign dominated by the rise in support for Reform.

The by-election is taking place following the death of the SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, who had been receiving treatment for breast cancer.

She had held the seat since 2011, winning it comfortably in the 2021 Scottish election with a majority of 4,582 over Labour.

But SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney has said it is now Reform UK that is the main threat to his party there – claiming the contest is a “two-horse race” between the two parties.

Mr Swinney, who has made several campaign visits to the area, has spent much of his time attacking Mr Farage and his party.

Reform has also come under attack from Labour, with a furious row prompted by an online ad which alleged Scottish leader Anas Sarwar would “prioritise” the Pakistani community.

Labour branded it “racist”, but as the war of words between the parties escalated, Mr Farage used a rare visit to Scotland earlier this week to accuse Mr Sarwar of “sectarian politics”.

Mr Sarwar still insists his party’s candidate Davy Russell can win the seat, despite him coming in for criticism over his failure to take part in a TV debate.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Scottish Labour leader branded Mr Farage a “pathetic, poisonous little man”.

Hitting out at his rivals, Mr Sarwar added: “Reform have chosen a campaign of dirt and smear, the SNP have lacked all ambition, the best they can offer is ‘vote SNP to stop Farage’.”

Mr Swinney was adamant that people need to vote for SNP candidate Katy Loudon if they want to “stop Farage”.

The First Minister insisted: “People face a simple choice in this by-election.

“They can either vote for the SNP – elect an SNP MSP – or they will end up with a Reform MSP. That’s the simple choice.”

The election comes as polls show a surge in support for Mr Farage’s party in Scotland.

While Reform has not yet won an election north of the border, one poll last month suggested it could come in second to the SNP in the May 2026 Holyrood election.

Polls are open in the constituency until 10pm, with the result expected to be known in the early hours of Friday.