The Hamilton by-election has concluded, but the reverberations are just beginning. A night of unexpected turns has left political circles buzzing.

The Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election is a surprise win for Labour - giving the party a much needed boost with eleven months to the full Scottish Parliament vote. But the other big winner was Reform UK who finished third behind the SNP.

Scottish first minister John Swinney had earlier dismissed Labour’s chances, insisting the by-election was a “two-horse race” between the SNP and Reform UK. That prediction proved inaccurate as Labour mounted an effective ground campaign, returning to a seat they had held before the SNP’s rise in the 2010s.