The results of a seismic by-election in Scotland show there is the opportunity for an “SNP wipeout” at the next general election, a senior Scottish Tory has claimed.

Miles Briggs, a member of the shadow cabinet at Holyrood, said the by-election result in Rutherglen and Hamilton West showed unionists were prepared to vote tactically to defeat the nationalists.

The Scottish Tories lost their deposit in the seat, which was convincingly won by Labour, although Mr Briggs claimed thousands of Conservatives had voted for Sir Keir Starmer’s party to oust the SNP. 

He predicted that unionists would return the favour in several seats across Scotland, which have traditionally been contested between the Tories and the nationalists next year.

“I think what we’re going to see at the next general election is a very different election in Scotland,” Mr Briggs said. “That is who is best placed to remove the SNP MP.

“We are looking now at the potential for an SNP wipeout at the next general election.

“Across Scotland, from Ayrshire to East Renfrewshire, to Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, it’s the Conservatives who are best placed to remove SNP MPs.”