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| The invisible man: Who is Labour's new MSP Davy Russell? | The invisible man: Who is Labour's new MSP Davy Russell? |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Labour MSP Davy Russell was branded the invisible man by campaign opponents | Labour MSP Davy Russell was branded the invisible man by campaign opponents |
| Davy Russell's by-election win for Labour is a victory for a candidate dismissed as "the invisible man" by opponents. | Davy Russell's by-election win for Labour is a victory for a candidate dismissed as "the invisible man" by opponents. |
| The 63-year-old becomes MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in his first time standing in an election. | The 63-year-old becomes MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in his first time standing in an election. |
| One of the features of the campaign was Russell's reluctance to do live broadcast interviews. | One of the features of the campaign was Russell's reluctance to do live broadcast interviews. |
| He didn't take up the opportunity to appear on BBC Radio Scotland, when other candidates did. | He didn't take up the opportunity to appear on BBC Radio Scotland, when other candidates did. |
| And when he declined to appear in a TV debate, opponents and political commentators questioned whether he was hiding. | And when he declined to appear in a TV debate, opponents and political commentators questioned whether he was hiding. |
| But Labour seemed to be taking the words of Abraham Lincoln to heart. "Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." | But Labour seemed to be taking the words of Abraham Lincoln to heart. "Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt." |
| Labour Leader Anas Sarwar championed Russell as a community candidate | Labour Leader Anas Sarwar championed Russell as a community candidate |
| In modern times, when gaffes can go viral on social media and reach a much wider audience than the original interview, the party decided to be cautious. | In modern times, when gaffes can go viral on social media and reach a much wider audience than the original interview, the party decided to be cautious. |
| Labour fielded their man as a local candidate, through and through. | Labour fielded their man as a local candidate, through and through. |
| Russell still lives his constituency in Quarter, South Lanarkshire - the small former mining village where he was born and raised. | Russell still lives his constituency in Quarter, South Lanarkshire - the small former mining village where he was born and raised. |
| "I've lived here my whole life. I'm a dad and a granddad," he said in his election pitch. | "I've lived here my whole life. I'm a dad and a granddad," he said in his election pitch. |
| "And like many of you, I care deeply about the future of our community." | "And like many of you, I care deeply about the future of our community." |
| Russell went to school in Hamilton and earned a civil engineering certificate from Motherwell Technical College. | Russell went to school in Hamilton and earned a civil engineering certificate from Motherwell Technical College. |
| After a career as an apprentice, fixing roads, he advanced to become a senior manager at Glasgow City Council - looking after roads, transport and waste services. | After a career as an apprentice, fixing roads, he advanced to become a senior manager at Glasgow City Council - looking after roads, transport and waste services. |
| He is also a charity trustee, raises money for a hospice and has served as deputy lord lieutenant, representing the King at local events. | He is also a charity trustee, raises money for a hospice and has served as deputy lord lieutenant, representing the King at local events. |
| Russell pounds the streets during the campaign with Deputy PM Angela Rayner | Russell pounds the streets during the campaign with Deputy PM Angela Rayner |
| While his opponents branded him as "invisible" in the media, Labour was focused on more traditional campaign methods. | While his opponents branded him as "invisible" in the media, Labour was focused on more traditional campaign methods. |
| The party was knocking on doors and talking directly to voters about how Russell was a local man, who would be a community champion. | The party was knocking on doors and talking directly to voters about how Russell was a local man, who would be a community champion. |
| His campaign priority was fixing the NHS and bringing down waiting lists. | His campaign priority was fixing the NHS and bringing down waiting lists. |
| He spoke out against the Scottish government's plans to downgrade the neonatal unit at University Hospital Wishaw. | He spoke out against the Scottish government's plans to downgrade the neonatal unit at University Hospital Wishaw. |
| He also said he would work hard to revitalise local towns and villages, with investments in high streets, roads and community leisure facilities. | He also said he would work hard to revitalise local towns and villages, with investments in high streets, roads and community leisure facilities. |
| Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar denied that Russell disliked the media, he was clear on what mattered. | Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar denied that Russell disliked the media, he was clear on what mattered. |
| "In Davy Russell we had a candidate and now an MSP who cares about his community and understands his community and is a champion for his community," he told BBC News. | |
| "That is ultimately what people have voted for." | "That is ultimately what people have voted for." |