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| Polls close in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election | Polls close in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The ballot was held in South Lanarkshire following the death of the local MSP | |
| Polls have closed in the Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. | Polls have closed in the Scottish Parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. |
| The vote was held following the death of the South Lanarkshire constituency's former MSP, Christina McKelvie. | |
| The count began as polls shut at 22:00, with a result expected in the early hours of Friday morning. | The count began as polls shut at 22:00, with a result expected in the early hours of Friday morning. |
| In what is the first Holyrood by-election since 2019, parties are aiming to build momentum ahead of next year's Holyrood elections. | In what is the first Holyrood by-election since 2019, parties are aiming to build momentum ahead of next year's Holyrood elections. |
| Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse had been held by McKelvie since the constituency was created in 2011. | Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse had been held by McKelvie since the constituency was created in 2011. |
| The SNP MSP served in several government roles, latterly as drugs and alcohol minister. | The SNP MSP served in several government roles, latterly as drugs and alcohol minister. |
| She died aged 57 in March after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. | She died aged 57 in March after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer. |
| The new MSP will only be in place for less than a year before the Scottish Parliament elections, scheduled for May 2026. | The new MSP will only be in place for less than a year before the Scottish Parliament elections, scheduled for May 2026. |
| SNP MSP Christina McKelvie died aged 57 in March | SNP MSP Christina McKelvie died aged 57 in March |
| McKelvie won the seat for the SNP comfortably in the 2021 Holyrood election with a majority of 4,582 over Labour. | McKelvie won the seat for the SNP comfortably in the 2021 Holyrood election with a majority of 4,582 over Labour. |
| Yet First Minister John Swinney has claimed the by-election is a "two-horse race" between the SNP and Reform. | Yet First Minister John Swinney has claimed the by-election is a "two-horse race" between the SNP and Reform. |
| He said: "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." | He said: "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." |
| Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the contest was "too close to call". | Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said the contest was "too close to call". |
| She added: "It is clear from the thousands of conversations we have had that voters feel the SNP have lost their way." | She added: "It is clear from the thousands of conversations we have had that voters feel the SNP have lost their way." |
| Who are the candidates? | Who are the candidates? |
| There are 10 candidates contesting the by-election. They are: | There are 10 candidates contesting the by-election. They are: |
| Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist Party | Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist Party |
| Andy Brady - Scottish Family Party | Andy Brady - Scottish Family Party |
| Ross Lambie - Reform UK | Ross Lambie - Reform UK |
| Katy Loudon - SNP | Katy Loudon - SNP |
| Janice Mackay - UK Independence Party | Janice Mackay - UK Independence Party |
| Ann McGuinness - Scottish Green Party | Ann McGuinness - Scottish Green Party |
| Aisha Mir - Scottish Liberal Democrats | Aisha Mir - Scottish Liberal Democrats |
| Richard Nelson - Scottish Conservative | Richard Nelson - Scottish Conservative |
| Davy Russell - Scottish Labour | Davy Russell - Scottish Labour |
| Marc Wilkinson - Independent | Marc Wilkinson - Independent |
| In the lead up to the vote both Labour and the SNP accused Nigel Farage's party of racism over an online advert criticising Scottish leader Anas Sarwar. | In the lead up to the vote both Labour and the SNP accused Nigel Farage's party of racism over an online advert criticising Scottish leader Anas Sarwar. |
| The video, posted on Facebook and Instagram, features clips from a speech Sarwar made in 2022. Reform added text claiming that Sarwar wanted to "prioritise the Pakistani community" - despite the Glasgow MSP not saying that. | The video, posted on Facebook and Instagram, features clips from a speech Sarwar made in 2022. Reform added text claiming that Sarwar wanted to "prioritise the Pakistani community" - despite the Glasgow MSP not saying that. |
| Farage has defended the video and during a visit to Scotland earlier this week he accused Sarwar of "sectarian politics". | Farage has defended the video and during a visit to Scotland earlier this week he accused Sarwar of "sectarian politics". |
| The Scottish Labour leader rubbished that claim and called Farage a "pathetic, poisonous little man". | The Scottish Labour leader rubbished that claim and called Farage a "pathetic, poisonous little man". |
| The by-election is a first-past-the-post ballot, meaning the candidate with the highest number of votes will become the constituency's new MSP. | The by-election is a first-past-the-post ballot, meaning the candidate with the highest number of votes will become the constituency's new MSP. |
| The BBC Scotland News website is running a live page providing updates from the count in Hamilton, as well as expert analysis from correspondents and pundits. | The BBC Scotland News website is running a live page providing updates from the count in Hamilton, as well as expert analysis from correspondents and pundits. |
| A BBC Scotland by-election special, presented by Martin Geissler, is being aired on BBC One Scotland, the BBC News channel and the BBC Scotland News website from midnight. | A BBC Scotland by-election special, presented by Martin Geissler, is being aired on BBC One Scotland, the BBC News channel and the BBC Scotland News website from midnight. |