Scotland Tonight: SNP and Reform UK candidates clash ahead of crunch by-election

The SNP’s and Reform UK’s candidates for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election have gone head to head on STV’s Scotland Tonight.

SNP candidate Katy Loudon questioned Reform UK candidate Ross Lambie on previous comments made by his party leader Nigel Farage regarding the introduction of “insurance-based” healthcare.

The former Tory councillor hit back at the decision made by the SNP government to downgrade the specialist neonatal intensive care unit in Wishaw.

Voters in the constituency will go to the polls on Thursday after a by-election was triggered following the death of the SNP’s Christina McKelvie in March.

Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives, the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens were all invited to participate in the debate but declined the invitation.

Each party was offered an interview for the programme.

STV’s political editor spoke to the candidates willing to give interviews:

Labour

Scottish Labour’s candidate Davy Russell was questioned on why he was not taking part in the debate and the UK Labour’s government decision to cut the winter fuel payment.

Conservatives

Scottish Conservative candidate Richard Nelson was asked about his membership of the Orange Order.

Liberal Democrats

Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Aisha Mir was questioned on whether her party would save their deposit in the by-election.

Full list of candidates

Candidate name	Party
Collette Bradley	Scottish Socialist Party
Andy Brady	Scottish Family Party
Ross Alexander Lambie	Reform UK
Katy Loudon	Scottish National Party (SNP)
Janice Elizabeth Mackay	UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Ann McGuinness	Scottish Green Party
Aisha Jawaid Mir	Scottish Liberal Democrats
Richard Nelson	Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Davy Russell	Scottish Labour Party
Marc Wilkinson	Independent