Swinney: By-election is fight between SNP and Farage
Speaking to reporters on the final day of campaigning, Mr Sarwar said: "We're campaigning to win this by-election.
"There's been lots of Reform noise, there's been lots of Reform smear.
"There's been a lack of ambition from the SNP, misinformation from the SNP. Only two parties are trying to win here, the SNP and Scottish Labour."
'The best that John Swinney has to offer after 18 years in government is a campaign that says 'stop Farage'," he added.
'Nigel Farage cannot win here. Reform cannot win in Scotland. Never could. This is a straight choice — because only two parties are trying to win — between ourselves and the SNP.'
He added that the only thing Mr Farage could achieve in this by-election, and in the 2026 Holyrood election, 'is help John Swinney'.
Katy Loudon and John Swinney (Image: Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Sarwar also criticised the media for promoting the idea of a Reform upset.
'You are all obsessed by them — and you know, this pretence that they could win here. They cannot win here. Nigel Farage cannot win in Scotland. He does not understand Scotland. Does not care about Scotland. Could not give a damn about Scotland — and that is why we are not focusing on him.'
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The by-election was triggered by the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie in March. She was just 57 and had been on leave following a stage two breast cancer diagnosis.
Ms McKelvie won the seat in 2021 with 46% of the vote, and a majority of 4,582.
The SNP are favourites to hold on, but the party insist the race is close between them and Reform.
In his final appeal to voters, Mr Swinney said voting for the SNP was a chance to 'defeat the gutter politics of Nigel Farage'.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, he denied Mr Sarwar's allegation of misinformation.
He told The Herald: 'My experience is that I am seeing SNP support firm and we are leading. I am seeing a lot of Reform support, which has been growing, and I am not seeing as much Labour support as I am seeing Reform support. So that is what I am feeling on the doorstep.
'When my team are processing all of this information, that is the picture that is emerging. And so Labour are out of it, Reform support growing and us in a leading position.'
Reform UK has played down the likelihood of a win. During a campaign stop in Aberdeen earlier this week, Mr Farage said victory was 'improbable'.
Senior party sources said second place would be a phenomenal result — and even a third-place finish would represent serious progress for the insurgent right-wing party.
Their rise has also led to speculation about the future of the Scottish Tories.
One Reform insider suggested the Conservatives could lose Larkhall altogether — or even fall to fifth place behind the Liberal Democrats.
Davy Russell and Anas Sarwar (Image: Jane Barlow/PA) Back on the trail, Mr Sarwar was also forced to defend Labour candidate Davy Russell, a former senior Glasgow City Council official, who has been criticised for missing TV debates and local hustings.
He said Mr Russell was 'here all the time' and dismissed the attacks as snobbery.
'I have seen pathetic comments about how he speaks,' Mr Sarwar said. 'But actually, it only helps reinforce the fact that he is from here and for here.'
Asked whether Mr Russell had been an asset to the SNP, Mr Swinney said he could only speak about his own candidate, Katy Loudon.
'A candidate has to be able, on a given day when this constituency might be facing difficulty, to come into Parliament and challenge the First Minister of Scotland. And my candidate could do that,' he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Farage has been banned from a butcher's shop in Larkhall. Strachan Craft Butchers posted on Facebook that the Reform leader had 'swanned in' with BBC cameras and party staff to buy a T-bone steak.
They stressed the visit had not been planned and said they were now 'barred' from further political visits.
'We need our customers to know that we have never and will never support any party or political views,' the business said. 'What a palaver over one wee man. #Farageisbarred.'
The result of the by-election is expected in the early hours of Friday. It will be the first major electoral test for both Mr Swinney and Mr Sarwar since last year's general election, when Labour regained its position as Scotland's largest party at Westminster and the SNP slumped to just nine MPs.
The Herald will be reporting live from the count in South Lanarkshire with updates, reaction and colour through the night — including livestreams, interviews, expert analysis and a special emergency episode of Unspun Live.
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