Humza Yousaf has blamed the SNP’s Covid law-breaking MP and the police probe into his party’s finances for its emphatic defeat at Scotland’s first recall by-election.

The First Minister said Thursday’s vote in Rutherglen and Hamilton West was a “disappointing and tough night”.

Michael Shanks was declared Scotland’s newest MP as Labour triumphed over the SNP with a swing of 20.4% – which Sir Keir Starmer called a “seismic” victory.

The seat was previously won by Margaret Ferrier in 2019 when she ran as a candidate for the SNP.

In the end the swing was more than 20% from SNP to Labour, no-one predicted that.

I’ve spoken before about how Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation levelled the playing field in Scottish politics, but here is the proof.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Health Matters