Scottish elections 2026: Gary Bouse holds Falkirk West for SNP as Reform take second spot

Gary Bouse has been elected to the Scottish Parliament with 14,896 votes in a decisive victory.

But Reform UK’s Richard Fairley snatched second place from Labour’s Paul Godzik by 301 votes.

The Conservatives were in fourth spot, 260 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrats, while Independent Stuart McArthur received 865 votes.

In his victory speech, the new MSP – who has served as a Falkirk councillor for the past nine years – thanked his party’s election team and the activists who had worked to gain his victory.

He said that he was humbled by the trust placed in him and vowed to carry out his duties as a Member of the Scottish Parliament with “fairness, integrity and respect to all”.

Mr Bouse also paid tribute to his predecessors in Falkirk West, the SNP’s Michael Matheson and Independent Dennis Canavan.

He said: “I have the greatest respect for both and it is my honour to follow them in pursuit of the best for the people of Falkirk West and independence for our country.”

Result: Gary Bouse, Scottish National Party, 14,896 votes (41.09 per cent of vote)

Richard Fairley, Reform UK, 8160 (22.51 per cent)

Paul Godzik, Scottish Labour, 7859 (21.68 per cent)

Neil Benny, Scottish Conservative, 2297 (6.33 per cent)

Lucy Smith, Scottish Liberal Democrats, 2037 (5.62 per cent)

Stuart McArthur, independent, 865 (2.38 per cent)

The turnout was 52.27 per cent and there were 141 rejected ballot papers