Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election: Voting closed and count now under way to replace Margaret Ferrier
Voting has closed and counting is now under way to replace shamed MP Margaret Ferrier.
Ms Ferrier was ousted from her Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat in August following a successful recall petition for breaching COVID restrictions in 2020.
Voters took to the polls between 7am and 10pm on Thursday for the by-election, with Ms Ferrier’s successor expected to be announced during the early hours of Friday morning.
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.
Fourteen candidates are battling it out for the hotly contested seat.
All eyes will be on the SNP and Scottish Labour – with both parties treating the by-election as an important battleground ahead of the next UK general election.
The South Lanarkshire seat has changed hands between the parties at each of the past three general elections.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and candidate Michael Shanks arriving at the count
Upon arrival at the count, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told Sky News: “I think it’s going to be a significant night.”
Meanwhile, an SNP source earlier said: “We have to be realistic. It’s been a tough time and we think the turnout will be very low.”
The result is expected during the early hours of Friday morning
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.
Ms Ferrier was subsequently charged by police, ordered to undertake unpaid work, suspended from the Commons for 30 days and removed from her seat following a successful recall petition.
Ballot boxes arriving at the count
The count is taking place at South Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Hamilton.
Who is standing?
• Gloria Adebo (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
• Bill Bonnar (Scottish Socialist Party)
• Garry Cooke (Independent)
• Andrew Daly (Independent)
• Cameron Eadie (Scottish Green Party)
• Prince Ankit Love (Independent)
• Niall Fraser (Scottish Family Party)
• Ewan Hoyle (Volt UK)
• Thomas Kerr (Scottish Conservatives)
• Katy Loudon (SNP)
• Christopher Sermanni (Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
• Michael Shanks (Scottish Labour Party)
• David Stark (Reform UK)
• Colette Walker (Independence for Scotland Party)
SNP: Katy Loudon
SNP leader Humza Yousaf and candidate Katy Loudon outside a Cambuslang polling station earlier on Thursday
The SNP are fielding South Lanarkshire councillor Katy Loudon.
The former primary school teacher has lived in the constituency for 14 years and has been a councillor since 2017.
Ms Loudon believes the by-election is an opportunity to “show Westminster that Scotland wants – and deserves – better than the Tory status quo”.
She added: “The Tories and Labour now stand hand in hand on a range of damaging policies including Brexit and the two-child cap and rape clause, which hits 1,600 children in Rutherglen and Hamilton West.”
During her campaign, Ms Loudon said she would push Westminster to reinstate a £400 energy bill rebate to help struggling families over winter.
She also said she would happily speak out on issues which disproportionately impacted her constituents.
She said: “I’m not shy to come forward. I’ve got the ear of the first minister and the ear of ministers, especially through this campaign.”
Ms Loudon also accused opponent Mr Shanks of “only talking about Margaret Ferrier” on the doorstep and claimed Scottish Labour “are offering nothing”.
Scottish Labour: Michael Shanks
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar joined candidate Michael Shanks on the campaign trail
Scottish Labour are championing Renfrewshire teacher Michael Shanks.
Mr Shanks previously made headlines after running along all 6,110 streets in Glasgow. He started the challenge during the first COVID lockdown and “crossed the finish line” in January last year.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party is hopeful that a win in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will show that Labour can make gains against the SNP at the upcoming general election, potentially paving the way for the party’s return to power at Westminster.
Scottish Labour put the cost of living crisis front and centre of its campaign.
It set out proposals to tackle the issue – including a clean energy plan that will reportedly save households up to £1,400 a year and a new deal for working people that it said would boost the minimum wage and make work pay.
As the count got under way, Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Michael Shanks should be proud of the energetic campaign he has led in Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
“It is clear for all to see that Scottish Labour is once more a serious force in Scottish politics.
“From our plans to make work pay to acting to put money into the pockets of working people, Scottish Labour has proudly campaigned on the priorities of the people.
“The people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West have spoken – soon we will know whether they have chosen a fresh start with Scottish Labour.”
Scottish Conservatives: Thomas Kerr
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross with candidate Thomas Kerr, second right. Pic: Scottish Conservatives
The Scottish Conservatives are backing Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr, who has pledged to tackle the cost of living crisis, reduce NHS waiting times and protect local services.
At the count, Mr Kerr said his party ran a “pretty positive campaign”.
He noted that the Scottish Tories were “punching above their weight” against favourites the SNP and Scottish Labour, but added his party was laying the groundwork ahead of the next Westminster and Holyrood elections.
Mr Kerr said many of the constituents he spoke to during his campaign highlighted their struggles with the cost of living crisis, which he could relate to.
He stated that there was no “real difference” between the SNP and Scottish Labour.
Mr Kerr earlier said the SNP will be “fully focused on relentlessly pushing for another divisive referendum”.
He added: “Meanwhile, Scottish Labour cannot credibly offer voters a fresh start when on so many issues you cannot put a cigarette paper between them and the SNP, including when they voted for Nicola Sturgeon’s flawed gender self-id bill.”
Mr Kerr told Sky News: “We’re offering a real alternative and a real change.”
Scottish Greens: Cameron Eadie
Gillian Mackay MSP and Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater with candidate Cameron Eadie. Pic: Scottish Greens
Student Cameron Eadie is standing for the Scottish Greens and had urged voters to put “people and planet” at the top of the agenda at Westminster.
If elected, he said he would fight to remove the “cruel two-child benefit cap and rape clause whilst standing up for our environment”.
At the count, Mr Eadie told Sky News that he was “absolutely proud” of his campaign and team, and said it had been a “fantastic opportunity” to energise activists in the area.
He said most people he spoke to while canvassing were concerned about the cost of living crisis and climate damage.
Mr Eadie acknowledged that most people believe it’s a “two-horse race” between the SNP and Scottish Labour.
But speaking of his run, he said: “It’s something I’ve really enjoyed. It’s been a good experience.”
Scottish Liberal Democrats: Gloria Adebo
Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton with candidate Gloria Adebo. Pic: Scottish Liberal Democrats
Data analyst Gloria Adebo is running for the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
Ms Adebo said constituents had been “badly hammered by unnecessary and damaging SNP government cuts”.
She added: “SNP cuts now look set to cause the closure of all local police stations in the area – on top of the threat to care homes, day services, swimming pools and leisure facilities.
“It is time to stop the SNP’s centralising policies in their tracks and give a fair share of the Scottish budget to local services and local people.”
Ms Adebo said the SNP have “no interest” in working constructively.
She added: “Rather than perpetuate division, Scottish Liberal Democrats would work in partnership across the UK on key issues like the cost of living and reforming the UK to make it work better, strengthen ties with our European neighbours and build a better way forward together.”
The lower house of Poland’s parliament failed to secure the required three-fifths majority to override President Karol Nawrocki’s veto of the Crypto-Asset Market Act, pushing the country further away from regulating its digital-asset sector at a moment when lawmakers argue that oversight is increasingly urgent.
As Bloomberg reported Friday, the legislation — advanced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government — was intended to align Poland with the European Union’s MiCA framework for crypto markets. The bill was introduced in June but did not survive the president’s veto.
Nawrocki blocked the measure last week, arguing it would “threaten the freedoms of Poles, their property, and the stability of the state,” as Cointelegraph previously reported.
With the president’s veto upheld, the bill will not move forward, forcing the government to restart its crypto lawmaking process.
The proposal has sharply divided lawmakers and the crypto industry. Supporters framed the bill as a national security priority, saying that comprehensive rules are necessary to curb fraud and prevent potential misuse of crypto assets by foreign actors, including Russia, according to Bloomberg.
However, several crypto-industry groups opposed the legislation, warning that its requirements were overly burdensome and could drive startups out of the country.
Critics pointed to stringent licensing rules, high compliance costs and criminal-liability provisions for service-provider executives, arguing that the bill risked stifling innovation and creating an uncompetitive business environment.
Related: EU plan would boost ESMA powers over crypto and capital markets
Crypto adoption in Poland ramps up amid regulatory pause
Cryptocurrency use in Poland continues to accelerate even as the country stalls on comprehensive regulation. Chainalysis recently identified Poland as one of Europe’s “large crypto economies,” noting that the country’s onchain activity has expanded significantly over the past year.
According to the company’s 2025 Europe Crypto Adoption report, Poland recorded more than 50% year-over-year growth in overall transaction volume.
Polish investors are also increasing their exposure to Bitcoin (BTC), reflected in a surge in Bitcoin ATM installations in recent years. In January, Cointelegraph reported that Poland had become the world’s fifth-largest Bitcoin ATM hub, surpassing even El Salvador — a country that has made Bitcoin a central element of its monetary and financial system.
Magazine: When privacy and AML laws conflict: Crypto projects’ impossible choice
US attorneys representing the federal government have requested that a judge send Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon to prison for 12 years at his sentencing hearing next week.
In a Thursday filing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, prosecutors asked that a judge sentence Kwon “to a term of twelve years’ imprisonment and finalize the forfeiture of his criminal proceeds.”
The filing came about four months after the Terraform co-founder pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud.
“In just a few years, Kwon caused losses that eclipsed those caused by Samuel Bankman-Fried […] Alexander Mashinsky […] and Karl Sebastian Greenwood [….] combined [emphasis included in filing],” said the Thursday filing. “The Terraform market crash triggered a cascade of crises that swept through cryptocurrency markets and contributed to what has since become known as ‘Crypto Winter.’”
Kwon, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, was indicted by US authorities in March 2023 for charges including securities fraud, market manipulation, money laundering and wire fraud related to his role at Terraform.
Though his whereabouts were initially unknown after the collapse of Terra in 2022, authorities in Montenegro arrested him on charges unrelated to his role at the company, and he was later extradited to the US.
Related: South Korea targets sub-$680 crypto transfers in sweeping AML crackdown
The price of Terra’s native token, LUNA, surged by more than 40% in the previous 24 hours amid the release of the sentencing recommendation, from about $0.07 to $0.10 at the time of publication. However, the token reached an all-time high price of more than $19.00 before the ecosystem collapsed in May 2022.
Kwon says he could still face prison time in South Korea
In a November court filing, lawyers representing Kwon asked that the Terraform co-founder be given a sentence of no more than five years. His attorneys presented several arguments in favor of a shorter sentence, including that the co-founder could face 40 years in prison in his native South Korea, where prosecutors are also working on a case against him.
“He would not be able to walk out of jail in the United States as a free man for any amount of time: He will be taken from whatever facility in which he serves his sentence directly to an immigration detention center to await a deportation flight to Seoul, where he will immediately reenter pretrial detention pending his criminal charges in South Korea,” said Kwon’s lawyers.
Although Kwon’s and prosecutors’ respective recommendations will remain under consideration, the judge overseeing the sentencing hearing has the authority to sentence the Terraform co-founder to decades in prison, or a significantly shorter time. In contrast, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is serving a 25-year sentence after his conviction on seven felony charges, former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and a judge sent Karl Sebastian Greenwood to prison for 20 years for his role in the OneCoin scheme.
Magazine: When privacy and AML laws conflict: Crypto projects’ impossible choice
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has suggested it could be beneficial for the UK to consider re-entering a customs union with the EU.
He said that although doing so was not the government’s current policy, he could see how other countries outside the EU had benefited from such arrangements.
“It’s self-evident that leaving the European Union badly damaged our economy, took us out of an important marketplace and created serious friction, that untruths were being peddled by those that thought exiting the EU would be a good thing,” Mr Lammy told the News Agents podcast.
“And it’s why every single day that I was foreign secretary, I returned to the subject of our relationship with the European Union.”
Asked repeatedly if he would like to see the UK in a customs union, he said: “That is not currently our policy. That’s not currently where we are.
“But you can see countries like Turkey with a customs union seemingly benefiting and seeing growth in their economy, and again, that’s self-evident.”
David Lammy meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara earlier this year, when he was foreign secretary. Pic: Turkish Foreign Ministry/Reuters
The Prime Minister’s economic adviser Minouche Shafik has also reportedly advocated behind the scenes for joining a customs union.
Mr Lammy’s comments were being taken as the clearest indication yet that the government is considering bringing the UK further back in line with the European Union.
But when Sir Keir Starmer was asked to respond and say why he was not advocating for membership given that growth is an ongoing priority for his government, he was quick to dampen down the speculation.
The prime minister said Labour would be sticking to its manifesto, which pledged to deepen ties with the EU without returning to the customs union, single market or freedom of movement.
“Well, the position that we are taking has been clearly set out in the manifesto, and then we’ve been following it,” Sir Keir said. “And earlier this year, we had the first UK-EU summit ever, and we had 10 strands for a closer relationship.
“So we’ve totally reset relations with the EU.
“That’s good for our economy, good for defence and security, good for the work that we need to do on energy.
Earlier a spokesperson for Number 10 said: “We are strengthening relations with the EU whilst sticking to our red lines.”
“The prime minister reiterated that on Monday evening at the Lady Mayor’s Banquet.”
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Starmer condemns ‘utterly reckless’ Brexit template
Sir Keir set out his foreign policy vision at the banquet, as is tradition.
He said the Brexit vote was a “fair, democratic expression” but the way it was “sold and delivered was wrong”.
“There’s no credible economic vision for Britain not positioning us as an open trading economy,” the Number 10 spokesman said.
“We have to be grown up about trade-offs. We have redefined bonds with EU and stuck to our red lines.”
On Mr Lammy’s comments, the spokesman added: “That is not our current policy or where we are.”
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