THERE were three council by-elections in Glasgow on Thursday caused by Labour councillors resigning as they've gone to Westminster to vote for Keir Starmer's brand of corporate greed. To no great surprise Labour held on to all three council seats.

However, the real story of these by elections is not what they tell us about the contest between Labour and the SNP in the next Holyrood elections.

The really interesting story is that the Tories are in serious trouble, with the even frothier Anglo-British nationalists of Reform UK snapping at their heels. In all three wards Reform's share of first preference votes was significantly higher than the Conservatives'.

READ MORE: 'Poor' by-election results show Scottish Labour are losing support, John Curtice says

The staunch brigade are putting their hopes in a new Saviour of the Union, one which, unfortunately for them but fortunately for everyone else, will not gain much traction outwith their Trumpist echo chambers. However, on its recent showing, Reform does seem set to make a breakthrough in the next Holyrood elections, bringing its malignant presence into the Scottish Parliament.

If that comes to pass it will be because of the platform given to Reform and its brand of populist hatred by the British media. Reform is a party which did not even mention Scotland in its manifesto for this summer's Westminster General Election and which has no Scottish policies to speak of.

Moreover it is a party led by avowed English nationalists who have not the slightest interest in Scotland or the concerns of Scottish voters. It offers white working class communities who feel left behind the noxious bromide of anti-migrant hatred while pushing policies which will actually make their lives worse – a cruel trick played to great effect in the recent American elections.

Far-right US president elect Donald Trump has worked with Nigel FarageUnlike America, where Trump voters are about to be disabused of their fantasies when Trump takes power in January and they will find their lives get much worse, Reform has no chance of taking power in Scotland. So, it will continue to preach its message of post-reality hatred from the sidelines, while being given an even bigger platform to do so by a Scottish media which is more afraid of Scottish independence than it is of the havoc, conspiracy theories and minority bashing of the populist far-right.

Labour fiddle as international law beckons

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The arrest warrants mean that the UK Government is legally obliged to arrest Netanyahu and Gallant if they set foot on British soil – but the Labour Government has predictably prevaricated. Remember, Starmer rigorously enforces the Israeli government line that any criticism of Israel's genocidal attack on the Palestinians of Gaza is antisemitic.

Spain, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and other countries have all stated that they will uphold the warrants, with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell describing them as legal and binding, not political.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has remained silent on the ICC arrest warrantsYet the UK, with its former human rights lawyer Prime Minister, has disgracefully refused to clearly state that it will uphold the warrants and respect the international rule of law. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper refused to confirm that the warrants would be enforced should Netanyahu or Gallant arrive in the UK.

Her response to LBC's Nick Ferrari on Friday morning when asked whether the UK would enforce the warrants can roughly be paraphrased thus: Ah but ah but, ah but, that's not my job.

The exact words of the woman ultimately in charge of UK domestic law were: "That’s not a matter for me as Home Secretary."

Cooper insisted there was a "proper process" for the British Government to go through if ICC cases "do ever become a matter for the UK” – but did not say what that process was.

However by Friday afternoon, aware its position was untenable, Downing Street moved towards stating it would enforce the warrant. A spokesperson for Starmer said the Government “will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law, and indeed international law”.

This piece is an extract from today’s REAL Scottish Politics newsletter, which is emailed out at 7pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Wee Ginger Dug.

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