Rutherglen and Hamilton West: 'A lot of SNP voters lost a little faith'

Conor Campbell voted for the SNP but was not surprised the party lost its seat

For one big night, all eyes were on the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West as by-election votes were counted.

With a new MP Michael Shanks and a 20% vote swing, Labour described it as a "seismic" victory - while the SNP says it is looking to regroup.

Many voters were left disappointed, but some say it did not come as a surprise.

Conor Campbell, 26, voted SNP and was not happy the party lost the seat.

"It's to be expected after the recent issues with the party," he said.

"It's going to lose a lot of support so we just need to deal with it.

"I think a lot of people lost faith a little bit. Especially trying to push a second referendum, that's kind of in the past, we need to focus on what's now."

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He said the SNP should focus on tackling issues for young people, homelessness and domestic violence in order to win back voters.

Turnout for the vote was 37.19%, a dramatic fall from the 66.5% recorded at the last general election.

Mr Campbell added: "A lot of people I know don't vote because they don't see the point of it.

"A lot of people probably think that their vote doesn't matter, they don't think they are heard."

Edith Hutchinson has been a life-long Labour supporter

The by-election was the first time voters in Scotland have had to show photographic ID before casting their ballots.

Constituent Edith Hutchinson said the requirement meant the voting process was slower than usual.

But the life-long Labour voter said she was happy with the result and thinks it could signal the party is set for a comeback.

"I think when the general election comes up they will get in as well," she said.

Local resident Liz Harris also voted for Labour but called them "the best of a bad bunch". "It's always been a Labour area so it wasn't really any surprise," she said.

Douglas Macdonald voted against the SNP in Rutherglen

Mary Kennedy voted for the SNP and said she was sad that the result might affect Scotland's chances for independence

"I'm so sad that we won't get independence. We need it, we want free from Westminster," she said.

"Humza needs to stand up more and get out their on the political forum and say what he wants done in Scotland."

Douglas Macdonald from Rutherglen has been volunteering with the Salvation Army for more than 70 years.

The 81-year-old told BBC Scotland News that he chose to vote tactically to get the SNP out.

"I am most definitely happy that there was a big change in the by-election. I wanted rid of the SNP because of their reputation here in Rutherglen," he said.

"I always vote, if you don't vote you can't complain about who gets in and what they're doing. So you have got to vote."

Kieran Paterson was one of the more than 51,000 constituents who chose not to cast their vote.

Rutherglen and Hamilton West has an electorate of 82,104, yet only 30,531 people cast a vote.

Kieran Paterson, 26, also from Rutherglen, decided not to go to the polls this time.

"Realistically none of this is ever going to affect me," he said.

"Everything that's been promised I don't get, it doesn't seem to manifest at all - so a votes kind of useless at this point.

The security worker has voted in the past but said it has been quite a while. He said if politicians want to see him at the polling station for the next general election they would need to tackle crime in the local area.

"It would take a hell of a lot to actually convince me, but I would be happy with more police on the street."

Kazeem Alabi wanted to vote but was unable to get a ballot in time due to an administrative issue

Kazeem Alabi, 39, also did not vote. He said had been hoping to get a postal vote for himself and his wife, but was unable to due to an administrative issue.

"I am disappointed because that would have been the first opportunity for me to have voted in the UK which I was actually looking forward to but unfortunately I didn't get the ballot paper."

He said he was not sure who he would have voted for, but he was happy Labour won.

Chris Hutton, 34, also did not vote. He said he has not voted since he was 16 when he went to the polls with his mother.

"If you ask me it's really a big farce. It's a revolving door," he said.

"Politics in this day and age they are all fighting against each other, but they are not out to help the public or anyone else."