Reform UK wins second council by-election in Scotland
Fiona McDermott was elected to represent Larkhall on South Lanarkshire Council
Reform UK has won its second council by-election in Scotland, in a result the party hailed as a "major milestone".
Fiona McDermott was elected to represent Larkhall on South Lanarkshire Council on a turnout of just 20.9 per cent.
It followed the death in April of long-serving Labour councillor Lesley McDonald.
The victory is Reform’s second council by-election win in Scotland after David McLennan was elected as a councillor in Whitburn and Blackburn in West Lothian last year.
Ms McDermott said: “I am deeply thankful that the people of Larkhall have placed their trust in me.
“This victory belongs to every person in Larkhall who believes [in] our family, community and country.
“Throughout this campaign I listened to people who feel ignored and let down. They have delivered a powerful message. They want change and they want it now.
“I will work tirelessly to represent everyone in Larkhall, hold the council to account and stand firm as a strong local voice. Real representation starts now.”
Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform UK in Scotland, welcomed the result.
“Taking this seat from Scottish Labour is a major milestone for Reform UK Scotland,” he said.
“Communities have been taken for granted for too long while standards decline, council taxes rise and local people are ignored. Voters in Larkhall are standing up and saying enough is enough.
“Reform UK Scotland will stand up for common sense and ordinary people. Fiona will be an outstanding local champion for Larkhall and this result shows Reform UK Scotland is now a genuine force in Scottish politics.
“We will celebrate this victory, but we will not take a single vote for granted.”
Reform won 17 seats at the Holyrood election in May, making it the joint second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament alongside Labour.
However, the wider UK party is currently embroiled in a row over Nigel Farage’s finances.
Earlier this week, he resigned as the MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election which he will stand in.
Insisting he has done nothing wrong, Mr Farage said: "I've decided that the people of Clacton should be the judges of my actions.”
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