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2 years ago

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Scottish Labour has won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.

Michael Shanks replaces shamed MP Margaret Ferrier, who was ousted from her seat in August following a successful recall petition for breaching COVID restrictions during lockdown in 2020.

Voters took to the polls between 7am and 10pm on Thursday and out of the 82,104 electorate, a total of 30,531 votes were cast (37.19% turnout).

The turnout is down from 66.48% at the snap 2019 general election, when 53,794 valid votes were cast.

Mr Shanks defeated the SNP’s Katy Loudon by 17,845 votes to 8,399 – a majority of 9,446 and a 20.36% swing from SNP to Scottish Labour.

Speaking to Sky News after his win, Mr Shanks said: “There’s absolutely no doubt that this result shows that there’s no part of the United Kingdom that Labour can’t win.

“It’s been a long time in Scotland – Labour building back to a place where people can trust us again.

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“The leadership of Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar has got us to a place where people have put their trust in us.

“I’m incredibly honoured by the trust people have put in me in this by-election.

“But it shows fundamentally that people are fed up with the division of the SNP and want to vote for something else. And it’s clear from this by-election people are willing to do that.”

Labour candidate Michael Shanks at the count for the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, at South Lanarkshire Council Headquarters in Hamilton. Picture date: Friday October 6, 2023.
Image:
Michael Shanks during the count

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (right) with candidate Michael Shanks after Labour won the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, at South Lanarkshire Council Headquarters in Hamilton. Picture date: Friday October 6, 2023.
Image:
Anas Sarwar and Michael Shanks celebrating Scottish Labour’s win

Ms Ferrier, who won the seat for the SNP in 2019, was forced to sit as an independent after losing the party whip when her COVID breach came to light.

Fourteen candidates battled it out for the hotly contested seat.

The Scottish Conservatives backed Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr, student Cameron Eadie stood for the Scottish Greens, while data analyst Gloria Adebo ran for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

All eyes were on the SNP and Scottish Labour – with both parties treating the by-election as an important battleground ahead of the next UK general election.

During the campaign, Labour stated a win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West could help springboard the party to Number 10.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party is now hopeful that Scottish Labour will make gains against the SNP at the next general election, which could potentially pave the way for Labour’s return to power at Westminster.

(Left to right) Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, Scottish Labour candidate Michael Shanks and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar at a party rally in Rutherglen ahead of the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. Picture date: Friday September 29, 2023.
Image:
Sir Keir Starmer joined Michael Shanks on the campaign trail

Following the result, Sir Keir said: “This is a seismic result. People in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have sent a clear message – it is time for change. And it is clear they believe that this changed Labour Party can deliver it.

“I have always said that winning back the trust of people in Scotland is essential.”

Sir Keir said the victory was the culmination of “three and a half years of hard work”.

He added: “I am grateful to everyone who has put their faith in us today – we will work every day to repay it.

“Voters across Scotland and across Britain want a government determined to deliver for working people, with a proper plan to rebuild our country.

“They want to move on from two SNP and Tory governments that offer only more division, more chaos and more infighting.

“The country deserves a government firmly on their side and focused on their priorities – and Labour will deliver that for them.”

SNP leader Humza Yousaf joins SNP candidate Katy Loudon (centre) and suporters, in Rutherglen during campaigning ahead of the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. Picture date: Saturday September 30, 2023.
Image:
SNP leader and First Minister Humza Yousaf joined Katy Loudon on the campaign trail

Responding to the loss, SNP leader and First Minister Humza Yousaf said it was a “disappointing night” for his party.

He added: “I want to thank our exceptional candidate Katy Loudon and our activists for their incredible efforts.

“Let me also congratulate Michael Shanks on being elected. Circumstances of this by-election were always very difficult for us.

“Collapse in the Tory vote, which went straight to Labour, also a significant factor.

“We lost this seat in 2017, and like 2019 we can win this seat back.

“However, we will reflect on what we have to do to regain the trust of the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.”

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Full results:

Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election result
Image:
The Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election result

• Gloria Adebo (Scottish Liberal Democrats) – 895 votes
• Bill Bonnar (Scottish Socialist Party) – 271 votes
• Garry Cooke (Independent) – 6 votes
• Andrew Daly (Independent) – 81 votes
• Cameron Eadie (Scottish Green Party) – 601 votes
• Prince Ankit Love (Independent) – 34 votes
• Niall Fraser (Scottish Family Party) – 319 votes
• Ewan Hoyle (Volt UK) – 46 votes
• Thomas Kerr (Scottish Conservatives) – 1,192 votes
• Katy Loudon (SNP) – 8,399 votes
• Christopher Sermanni (Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) – 178 votes
• Michael Shanks (Scottish Labour Party) – 17,845 votes
• David Stark (Reform UK) – 403 votes
• Colette Walker (Independence for Scotland Party) – 207 votes

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MEV bot trial ends in mistrial after jury deadlock on brothers’ verdict

Published

4 hours ago

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November 8, 2025

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MEV bot trial ends in mistrial after jury deadlock on brothers’ verdict

A New York jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case of Anton and James Peraire-Bueno, the MIT-educated brothers accused of fraud and money laundering related to a 2023 exploit of the Ethereum blockchain that resulted in the removal of $25 million in digital assets.

In a Friday ruling, US District Judge Jessica Clarke declared a mistrial in the case after jurors failed to agree on whether to convict or acquit the brothers, Inner City Press reported.

The decision came after a three-week trial in Manhattan federal court,  resulting in differing theories from prosecutors and the defense regarding the Peraire-Buenos’ alleged actions involving maximal extractable value (MEV) bots.

A MEV attack occurs when traders or validators exploit transaction ordering on a blockchain for profit. Using automated MEV bots, they front-run or sandwich other trades by paying higher fees for priority.

In the brothers’ case, they allegedly used MEV bots to “trick” users into trades. The exploit, though planned by the two for months, reportedly took just 12 seconds to net the pair $25 million.

In closing arguments to the jury this week, prosecutors argued that the brothers “tricked” and “defrauded” users by engaging in a “bait and switch” scheme, allowing them to extract about $25 million in crypto. They cited evidence suggesting that the two plotted their moves for months and researched potential consequences of their actions. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, bait and switch is not a trading strategy,” said prosecutors on Tuesday, according to Inner City Press. “It is fraud. It is cheating. It is rigging the system. They pretended to be a legitimate MEV-Boost validator.” 

Related: MEV bot exploit heads to US court, testing crypto’s legal gray zones

In contrast, defense lawyers for the Peraire-Buenos pushed back against the US government’s theory of the two pretending to be “honest validators” to extract the funds, though the court ultimately allowed the argument to be presented to the jury.  

“This is like stealing a base in baseball,” said the defense team on Tuesday. “If there’s no fraud, there’s no conspiracy, there’s no money laundering.”