No one won the Hamilton by-election debate

‘How useful are TV debates anyway?’ a Labour figure scoffed when I asked why their candidate in the Hamilton by-election wasn’t taking part in any debate this week. After the STV by-election debate special on Monday night, you might think they had a point. Only two of the six candidates approached by the broadcaster agreed to come into the studio – and the absence of Labour’s man made the whole thing very much a two-horse race between the SNP and Reform. 

In his brief introductory statement, Reform’s Ross Lambie – a Tory councillor until March – talked about the general feeling of disillusionment voters had for establishment parties. ‘They feel that there’s been a lost generation,’ he told STV’s Colin Mackay. He then made a point that his opponents have been acknowledging in private: that Reform UK is picking up support from across the political spectrum.