Deputy Political Editor David Bol reporting from Hamilton today

Transcript

00:00Hello, I'm David Bowe, the Scotsman's Deputy Political Editor.

00:04I'm here in South Lanarkshire where Labour leader Anasawa has been on the campaign trail

00:10just outside the constituency at a wind farm ahead of the Hamilton, Lark Hall and Stonehouse by-election next week.

00:19Anasawa very much insisting that it is not a three-horse race, as John Swinney indicated yesterday,

00:26and that surge in reform, Anasawa doesn't think is enough to win the election,

00:31or in fact to be a challenger for the election next year.

00:34Very much suggesting that there be a lot of protest vote at play and some people, some voters,

00:39not really thinking about the Holyrood election next year that this is kind of a stepping stone towards.

00:46He kind of welcomed a bit of movement on the two-child cap from the Labour government,

00:52although he kind of pushed back on the suggestion that it had come way too late,

00:57acknowledging that decisions had to be made that were affordable,

01:03and there's been a bit of narrative about that being kind of in response to this push from reform.

01:10It's funny, you speak to Labour activists on the doorstep, and they are seeing a lot of reform support.

01:15I mean, they do see it as a three-horse race.

01:18Anasawa, adamant that it's not, it's just between Labour and the SNP to win this by-election,

01:24but very much a crucial kind of, as I mentioned, stepping stone towards that election.

01:30It would send quite a strong message if Labour were able to win this.

01:34He still thinks that they can.

01:36There's been a lot of narrative the last couple of weeks,

01:39mostly from the SNP, that Labour are actually fighting for second with reform,

01:45and could even end in third place.

01:47That would be a bit of a disaster for Scottish Labour and Anasawa.

01:52But still, more than a week to go to polling day.

01:56Candidates will be out and about.

01:58We expect to see some big names coming up.

01:59There's talk of Nigel Farage coming up for reform to kind of boost some support.

02:05They've managed to build this support without any policies or any real figureheads

02:09other than their candidate here in the constituency.

02:12So it's still a lot to play for,

02:14and it'll be an interesting few days in Scottish politics.