Latest news with #Larkhall
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
SNP rebels do not have an alternative leader to John Swinney
Even the most assiduous of Nat-watchers would struggle to hazard a guess about how many times John Swinney has launched himself into a declaration that he'd fight to his last drop – or words to that effect – to achieve independence for Scotland. Being the relatively modest chap that he is, I doubt if even Mr Swinney would get close to naming the correct number of such speeches. And after all, given the paucity of other policies in the SNP playbook, independence obviously gets a lot of mentions. As a result, we've now had old 'Say-it-Again Swinney' returning again to his favourite theme, this time at a conference that rejoiced in the title of Scotland 2050. Now, I'm assuming that even a long marcher in the cause of independence, as he is, wasn't thinking of hanging around for another 25 years or so – but why return to that boring old tale? There have been suggestions that he's doing it because there are signs of a backbench plot to unseat him as leader following the humiliating SNP defeat in the Hamilton Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election. It's true that, for a seasoned warrior, Mr Swinney's campaign was a decidedly cack-handed affair, constantly warning about the danger posed by Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Needless to say, all that did was talk up Reform's chances – and so it proved. Labour reaped the benefit, the SNP was second, with Reform third, and almost immediately the know-nothings on the Nat backbenches rushed forward with audible mutterings that Swinney had to go. However, I can't really believe that the First Minister is losing a minute's sleep over these supposed threats. Like lemmings peering over the cliff edge, these heroes seem to be threatening rebellion but without the foggiest idea about how to go about it. And, most of all, who would lead them? That's the biggest gap in their prospectus because, while there may be a few suicide merchants in their ranks, I can't think of a single overly ambitious Nat candidate who stacks up as 'possible' leader. Kate Forbes is the current Deputy First Minister and just about everybody's choice as a possible successor – everybody, that is, except perhaps the lady herself. Widely seen as a clever politician with sensible economic views, she delivered a ringing denunciation this week of the 'destructive nature' of much of the content of social media, calling it 'totally misogynistic'. She did try to become SNP leader and first minister after Nicola Sturgeon's shock resignation but was beaten by Humza Yousaf, the man Ms Sturgeon wanted as her successor and campaigned for hard. If Mr Swinney were to resign, she might well have another try for the top job but very few expect her to try to force him out any time soon. Furthermore, there's very little chance of him resigning this side of next May's Scottish Parliament election. All of this means that there won't be much scope for plotting at this weekend's gathering of the SNP's national council … always assuming that the plotters turn up.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Larkhall YMCA Harriers rack up excellent times in various races
Athletes have done well in recent weeks Larkhall YMCA Harriers AAC took part in several events in recent months, with members racking up impressive times. The Edinburgh Marathon Festival saw JogScotland graduates Lorna Elvin (38.44), Lorna Cardwell (42.43)and Nicola Ferguson (42.46) in the 5k at the end of May, in their first race completing the Couch to 5K programme. On the Sunday, May 25, Shona Mitchell ran her first half marathon, completing the course in 2.27:04. Erin Gordon and John Collins took part in the full 26.2 mile marathon, with Gordon finishing in 4.00:15, with Collins not far behind in 4.19:36. Larkhall's U15 girls' team of Lily Cuthbertson, Lucy Thomson, Erin Ogston and Laci McNulty won bronze at the Lanarkshire AAA Track Relays in Cumbernauld on May 17. Drew Reid, George Brown, Emma Dooey and Aimee Davidson competed in a mixed 4x100m, finishing sixth. Senior endurance coach Alex Kidd took part in the Babcock 10k Series at Shettleston, Dumbarton and Helensburgh in V60, finishing in 57,22, 57.44 and 55.52, respectively. Rona MacPherson recorded a personal best time at the London Marathon, completing the course in 3.38:51, setting a new women's club record. Laci McNulty won silver in under-15 girls' 100m and bronze in 200m at the West District Track Championships at Kilmarnock. Ross Kinkade won silver in under-15 boys' 200m, while Aimee Davidson and Emma Dooey both reached the under-13 girls' 100m semi-finals, both setting PBs. Dooey set a PB in her 800m final, en route to finishing second. In under-15 girls' 200m, Lucy Thomson and Lily Cuthbertson recorded PBs in their heats. Drew Reid narrowly missed out on a PB in his heat in under-15 boys' 200m, and in 1500m. Sam Thomson ran well to set a PB in under-15 100m, and PBs were set by George B rown in the under-15 boys' 800m final, and Sophie Brennan in her 800m final, finishing third in a very tight finish. Michael Marden set a PB in long jump with 3.86m. Larkhall athletes played a big role for Team Lanarkshire as the Youth Development League kicked off on May 4. Ross Kinkade won under-15 200m A race, with the fastest overall time of 24.21, following that up wth a win in 4x100m relay. Laci McNulty won silver in the girls' under-15 200m, with 0.04 between her and first place. McNulty was part of a team that placed third in 4x100m. Sophie Brennan was in the U15 girls' B race and placed third in 2.39:90, bringing in more points for the team. Michael Marden and Drew Reid took part in U13 boys' 1500m, with Marden finishing seventh in the A race and Reid fourth in the B race. Marden and Reid formed part of the 4x100m team finishing fourth. George Brown finished seventh in the B race. At the end of the meet, Team South Lanarkshire had a commanding lead of 384 points, at the top of Division 2. Match 2 took place on May 25, with notable performances from Ross Kinkade – who won both the 100m and 200m A races and the 4x100 relay. Laci McNulty won her 200m and placed second in 100m A race, and won the 4x100m. Michael Marden finished fourth in U13 boys' 1500m and won his 4x100m, giving Harriers a clean sweep of the relays, and helping Team South Lanarkshire extend their league lead to 730.5 points and in the hunt for promotion next year, with one match remaining. In April, the Harriers' beginner group, JogScotland Larkhall, completed their Couch to 5k programme, running the Strathclyde Parkrun with friends. Twelve weeks of hard work, training three times a week, paid off as 36 of the original 40 completed the course. In March, a team of six endurance athletes headed to the Alloa Half Marathon. Aaron Partridge stormed through the 13.1 mile course in 1hr 14mins 44secs for 19th overall. Rona MacPherson was first female home in 1.38:18. Erin Gordon, Sarah Leggate and William Thomson completed the course next, all achieving PBs. Ted Zokas and Hannah McGuire finished the race, with McGuire setting a new PB. Louise Henderson took part in the Inverness Half Marathon, beating her old PB by nine minutes to complete the course in 2.10:48. Erin Gordon took part in the Monklands Half Marathon, where she was fourth female overall in 1.45:47. In the associated 10k, Shona Mitchell finished in 1.04:15.
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Disastrous': John Swinney facing SNP backlash after Hamilton byelection loss
SNP activists and senior figures have vented their frustrations at their leader, John Swinney, after a 'disastrous' byelection campaign that saw the party lose a pivotal Holyrood seat to Scottish Labour. The party was also accused of running a 'panicked' campaign that some believe pushed more voters towards Reform in last Thursday's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse byelection. SNP members are voicing criticisms of the result at branch meetings, with Swinney expected to face robust questioning at the SNP's national executive committee meeting on Sunday. Central to members' concerns was the key campaign message that the byelection was a two-horse race between the SNP and Reform UK, which has been gaining ground in Scotland since last year's general election. That was coupled with the party's failure to promote independence as an alternative to the rightwing populist party's divisive rhetoric. In the event, Scottish Labour's popular local candidate, Davy Russell, pulled off an unexpected victory, beating the Nationalists' Katy Loudon by 600 votes, with Reform UK's Ross Lambie 800 votes behind her. Since last Thursday's result, Swinney has faced calls to resign from veteran SNP critics as well as feverish speculation about plots among senior party figures to oust him. The former SNP MP Tommy Sheppard, writing in the National earlier this week, branded the strategy a 'disaster'. 'The message to anyone flirting with Reform UK is that they are a serious contender, best placed to upset the SNP. We make their argument for them.' One experienced campaigner said: 'People think the party got it wrong this time.' They argued, however, that members remained willing to give Swinney initial time to reflect, before adding 'if he digs his heels in around strategy and doesn't listen, it will be a very different mood'. Others pointed out that, compared with the 'off-the-scale' internal divisions experienced by the party towards the end of Nicola Sturgeon's leadership and under her successor, Humza Yousaf, current discontent is relatively minimal. In a modest reshuffle on Wednesday morning, Swinney created an elevated role as cabinet secretary for housing for the rising star Màiri McAllan as she returned from maternity leave, signalling a renewed focus on voter priorities ahead of next May's Holyrood elections. The Guardian understands that Swinney faced criticism of the Hamilton strategy at a 'fractious' MSP group meeting on Tuesday. There he repeated his insistence that the Reform-focused strategy was led by what canvassers were hearing on the doorstep. But one senior backbencher suggested that Swinney had 'panicked' at the growing support for Reform – who secured 26% of the vote last week – especially after their strong showing in the English council elections, which took place just as the Hamilton campaign was gaining momentum. 'He talked about Reform too much and not enough about Katy. We didn't give people a reason to vote for us.' At this Sunday's meeting of senior party officials, insiders expect 'a demand for a clearer vision, focused on independence'. Stewart McDonald, the influential former SNP MP, praised Swinney's leadership as having broought calm after 'an incredibly turbulent few years', but said he urgently needed to give party and government 'a renewed sense of purpose'. 'The party's campaign infrastructure is dated, tired, analogue and it needs to be modernised. Labour outgunned us on the ground in Hamilton and we cannot let that happen in 2026. For the government, people need to start seeing tangible improvements in their living standards and in public services. He has started that process but now needs to put it on steroids. This is the most effective way to ensure we win next year and answer many of the grievances that are driving so many people to Reform: a laserlike focus on making Scotland better'. Another former MP said Swinney had to pivot fast: 'It's either that or lose the next election. The party failed to act after Rutherglen [another bellweather byelection defeat, in 2023] and the MPs lost. We can't afford to lose the Scottish government so this is the last-chance saloon.'
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
SNP rebels ‘plot to oust leader' after by-election defeat
SNP rebels are plotting to oust their leader after the party's by-election defeat last week. Twenty-five senior SNP figures are said to have held a meeting on Monday night to discuss removing John Swinney, the First Minister of Scotland, as party leader, barely a year after he succeeded Humza Yousaf. The Herald newspaper suggested Mr Swinney might face a leadership challenge at the SNP conference in October if he did not come up with a new strategy to achieve Scottish independence in the next two weeks. The row erupted as Mr Swinney conducted a mini-reshuffle of his front-bench team following the death of Christine McKelvie, the drugs minister, which triggered a Scottish Parliament by-election in her Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency. The SNP were hot favourites to win the contest, but Labour pulled off a surprise victory. The defeat followed Labour's rout of the SNP in last year's general election, also under Mr Swinney's leadership. Alex Neil, a former SNP health secretary, said Mr Swinney should be replaced. Labour criticised the First Minister for running a 'dishonest' by-election by claiming voters faced a 'two-horse race' between the SNP and Reform UK . Paul McLennan, the SNP housing minister before the reshuffle, also attacked the party's 'negative' campaign, saying it should have been focused on 'giving people reasons to vote for the SNP, not against Reform'. Mr Swinney initially won praise for overseeing a recovery in the SNP's fortunes, following the troubled final months of Nicola Sturgeon's premiership and Mr Yousaf's chaotic tenure. However, he angered hard-line Nationalists by warning that support for independence would have to increase to more than 60 per cent to force the UK Government to allow another referendum. The Herald said there was a unanimous view at the rebels' meeting that the First Minister had 'no intention of putting independence anywhere near the party's narrative whatsoever'. 'If there is nothing in the next couple of weeks from the leadership, then conference will be a bloodbath,' a source said. Under SNP rules, any member who can secure 100 nominations from 20 different branches ahead of party conference can trigger a leadership vote. Rank-and-file challenger? Although the source doubted that an MP or MSP would challenge Mr Swinney for the leadership, they said a rank-and-file activist could come forward and any contest would be 'hugely damning and damaging, and make the party look utterly ridiculous'. They also warned that the rebel faction could attempt to use internal elections to seize key positions on the SNP's ruling national executive committee (NEC) such as depute leader and national secretary. An SNP insider said: 'NEC members better start looking for new hobbies unless the leadership announces a change of direction soon – because at this rate we are heading for a mass clear-out.' They said Mr Swinney had 'dropped independence' during his first ill-fated stint as party leader, between 2000 and 2004, and that had ended in 'a bruising defeat' at the ballot box. 'The ability to make the case for independence is not a desirable part of the job description – it is essential – and he has failed on probation,' they said. 'The Presbyterian schoolmaster might fly in Perthshire – but in the rest of Scotland it just does not land. Stabilising the party only works for a short time. There is no energy, no fire, no boldness, no long-term vision.' Starmer: Scots want change In the House of Commons, Joani Reid, the Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, raised the SNP's by-election defeat and the reports of plotting against Mr Swinney at Prime Minister's Questions. To laughter, she asked Sir Keir Starmer: 'Does he agree with me that a leader who has only ever lost elections to the Labour Party should stay put?' The Prime Minister said: 'After nearly two decades in power, the SNP got their verdict last Thursday. Scotland wants change, and they know the SNP are completely out of ideas. That is why they want a Labour Government to deliver real change.' An SNP spokesman said: 'Since John Swinney became leader last year he has brought the SNP back together and the party is back to doing what it does best – standing up for the people of Scotland. 'In the run-up to next year's Scottish Parliament election, the SNP will continue to deliver for people across the country, while setting out a clear and hopeful vision for their future as an independent country.'
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
New MSP says by-election win can be ‘springboard' for Labour Holyrood victory
Scottish Labour's newest MSP has said his dramatic by-election victory could be a 'springboard' to his party winning power at Holyrood next year. Davy Russell secured a surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat last week, defeating the SNP candidate there. His victory came despite SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney repeatedly declaring the contest to be a two-horse race between his party and Nigel Farage's Reform. Welcoming Mr Russell to Holyrood, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar insisted that voters in the constituency 'have led the way in the pathway to electing a Scottish Labour government next year'. Mr Sarwar said: 'Next year we are going to remove the SNP from office and we are going to elect a Scottish Labour government.' With the SNP having been in power in Scotland since 2007, Mr Sarwar said voters in the by-election had 'recognised 18 years of failure from the SNP, wanting to change the government here in Scotland' while at the same time also 'rejecting the poison of Reform in the process'. He insisted that Labour's MSPs and 'fantastic candidates' for the May 2026 Holyrood elections would go on and 'demonstrate how we win that election, demonstrate how we improve the lives of people here in Scotland'. Mr Sarwar added: 'The choice facing the people of Scotland is a third decade of the SNP with John Swinney as first minister or a new direction for Scotland with a Scottish Labour government and me as first minister.' Meanwhile, Mr Russell said he was 'honoured and humbled' to have been chosen as the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. The seat had been held by Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie, with the by-election called after her death earlier this year at the age of 57. Mr Russell said he was at Holyrood to 'fight' for people from the area, saying: 'I have listened to them for weeks and now I am going to take their case forward, so it is the springboard for Scottish Labour to take the reins and be in charge of the Scottish Government come next May.'
