Rutherglen could be a ‘milestone’ in Labour’s road back to power, says Sir Keir Starmer

The UK Labour leader made the comments as he campaigned in the constituency ahead of Thursday’s crucial vote.

Margaret Ferrier won the seat for the SNP in 2019, but was suspended from the party the following year after breaching Covid lockdown rules. A subsequent parliamentary suspension forced a recall petition – the first to take place in Scotland – which has resulted in the by-election on October 5.

Labour is hoping to seize the seat back from the SNP, with polls showing rising support for the party across Scotland.

Campaigning with candidate Michael Shanks and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in Hamilton, Sir Keir said his party was in a “good place to win”. He told party activists that locals in the constituency have been “so let down by two failed governments – an SNP Government and a Tory Government”.

Branding this a “terrible combination”, he added: “If either of those parties, either here in Scotland or in the United Kingdom, had a record they could stand on, they would stand on it. They would be coming here saying ‘this is what we have delivered, this is why you should vote for us, these are the things we have done’.

“But they can’t because they have delivered nothing, and the more we look at the record of the SNP here in Scotland, the more we see a record of failure. That is why people desperately want that change here in Scotland, and it is the same story with the Conservatives.”

Sir Keir said the by-election was not just about Rutherglen and Hamilton West. “It’s about Scotland,” he said. “It’s about the future of Scotland. This will be a milestone, if we win this election, on the hard road back for Labour in power.” He said it was an “incredible opportunity”.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Sir Keir was asked about his pitch to SNP voters. He said: “My pitch would be, if you want a positive case, if you want a positive future, and you want a party that is facing the voters with a clear plan, then come to Labour. Come back to Labour in some cases, come to Labour in other cases.

"We’re a party that has changed, that is facing the voters, and we are there as a welcoming party for anybody who wants to join us in our mission to build a stronger Scotland.”