Labour spent more than eight times as much as the SNP did on the Rutherglen and Hamilton West recall petition.

According to paperwork filed with South Lanarkshire Council’s elections office and seen by the Herald on Sunday, Anas Sarwar’s party spent £8,091 during the six-week campaign to oust Margaret Ferrier.

Under Electoral Commission rules registered campaigners can spend up to £10,000 on a recall petition.

The SNP spent just £1,069.

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Labour’s spend on the campaign also dwarfs some of their previous spending on recall petitions.

When Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was sent to prison for perverting the course of justice in December 2019, Labour spent just £3,240 on the recall campaign.

It’s not clear how much the party spent in Brecon and Radnorshire following Tory MP Chris Davies’s conviction of a false expenses claim, but three parties registered as campaigners spent a total of £13,365.87.

The Herald: Scottish Labour candidate Michael Shanks with party deputy leader Jacqui Baillie

The successful recall petition sparked a by-election for the seat, due to take place on October 5. 

Teacher Michael Shanks is hoping to take the seat for Keir Starmer’s party, while the SNP has selected local councillor, Katy Loudon.

Dame Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader said the paltry sums spent by Humza Yousaf on trying to oust Margaret Ferrier showed that he feared a vote.

She said: "The SNP’s half-hearted efforts during the recall campaign show they were running scared of a by-election."

Dame Jackie added: “The people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West were left voiceless for years on end thanks to the rule-breaking MP the SNP inflicted on them.

“Scottish Labour has been working tirelessly to offer the area a fresh start, but it seems the SNP barely made it past the starting gate.

“It’s clear that if voters in Rutherglen and Hamilton West want a local champion to show up and fight their corner they should vote for Michael Shanks.”

READ MORE: Sarwar claims by-election victory will 'earn' him fight to be next FM

All of the SNP’s money went on staff salaries.

That also made up the bulk of Labour's expenses, coming in at £5,289.74.

However, they also spent £899.54 on transport, and £1,745.70 on a room with a king-size bed at the Marriott Hotel by the SEC in Glasgow for ten nights.

Their costs also include £19.20 on advertising and £137 on unsolicited material to electors.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey said: “It’ll take more than cash from London HQ and busloads of Labour staffers from Westminster to undo the damage caused by Keir Starmer’s pro-austerity agenda.

“Our team of dedicated, local SNP activists are working hard for every vote in this contest.

“Katy Loudon has lived in the constituency for the best part of 20 years. Rutherglen and Hamilton West needs a local champion who will stand up for their community at all costs – not dump their principles when their boss at Westminster demands it.” 

READ MORE: Penny Mordaunt says Tories could win in Rutherglen

Surprisingly, neither party received donations towards the recall campaign.

In Brecon and Radnorshire, there were donations totalling £10,324.50 while in Peterborough campaigners collectively took in £3,212.11.

There were no other registered campaigners. 

The petition ran through the summer with the result coming on 1 August. Some 11,896 of Margaret Ferrier’s constituents backed the recall, well above the 8,113 needed to reach the threshold of 10%.

While Ms Ferrier won the seat for the SNP with a majority of more than 5,000, most pollsters — and some SNP MSPs and activists — expect a sizeable Labour victory at next month's by-election.

Mr Sarwar's party have been campaigning here for months, with Sir Keir Starmer and senior cabinet figures making a number of high-profile appearances.

The recall petition was opened after Ms Ferrier was suspended from the Commons for 30 days over her multiple pandemic rule breaches and subsequent criminal conviction.

She was ordered to carry out 270 hours of community service after pleading guilty to wilfully exposing people “to the risk of infection, illness and death”.

The Tories have selected Thomas Kerr, their group leader on Glasgow City Council, while the Lib Dems have selected Gloria Adebo, and the Greens have gone for Cameron Eadie.

Bill Bonnar will contest the seat for the Scottish Socialist Party, while Niall Fraser is running for the Scottish Family Party, and Ewan Hoyle is standing for Volt UK.