Scottish Labour picked up a shock win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election yesterday - despite being 11/1 outsiders.
The victory comes as a huge boost to leader Anas Sarwar, who has seen the party's position in the polls slip since last year's UK general election.
Despite often being on the back foot due to UK Labour policies like winter fuel payment cuts, Scottish Labour shot to victory in Hamilton, snatching a Holyrood seat from the bookies' favourites the SNP.
First minister John Swinney had claimed that only his party could beat Reform in this particular seat. They did, but so did Scottish Labour and its new MSP, Davy Russell - by around 600 more votes.
Analysis in The Times suggests some Labour politicians were privately predicting a disaster which would lead to a major rebellion among Sir Keir Starmer’s Scottish backbenchers.
Reform had boldly predicted they would push Labour down to third place, but had not expected to unseat the SNP who won the constituency with a majority of 4,582 in 2021.
But finishing third, Reform and leader Nigel Farage will now be questioned over the decision to make Anas Sarwar the cornerstone issue of their campaign.
The video campaign, which tried to suggest Sarwar would prioritise the Pakistani community, was met with anger and branded racist by many.
Writing in The Times, John Curtice said: "Labour’s victory in the Scottish parliament by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse on Thursday seemingly indicates that are indeed on course to do the double. The seat was won comfortably by the SNP in the last Scottish parliament election in 2021. It is just the kind of seat the party needs to win if its Scottish leader, Anas Sarwar, is to become Scotland’s next first minister."