Scotland’s newest MP has received a standing ovation at the UK Labour conference as he told delegates his victory showed there was nowhere in the country the party can't win.

Before making his first speech to a UK conference, Michael Shanks was cheered wildly in the main hall in Liverpool as the victor of last week’s Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election.

The modern studies teacher overturned an SNP majority of 5,230 to win by 9,466 votes, beating the SNP’s Katy Loudon with a 20.4% swing on a 37.2% turnout.

Mr Shanks said: “Our campaign was focused relentlessly on offering people a fresh start. 

“A break away from divisiveness and distraction of two feeling governments and to give voice to those who are too often voiceless in our society. 

“But that change isn't just needed in Rutherglen & Hamilton West.

“Across Scotland and the whole of the UK, communities like mine are being let down. 

“It's time for change. That change can't come fast enough, but one thing is clear from the result in Rutherglen & Hamilton West. 

“There is no part of this country that Labour cannot win.”

Mr Shanks paid tribute to Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, introducing the latter's main speech.

Speaking before Mr Shanks, Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray also said the by-election win was a turning point for the party.

He said: “An unprecedented 20.4% swing from the SNP to Labour.  What it means is there is no SNP MP who can rest easy. A coalition of voters voted for change in Rutherglen last Thursday. 

“It's no wonder the SNP is in total disarray. This time last year, The SNP leadership was Nicola Sturgeon and Ian Blackford. Remember them? Now it’s Yousaf and Flynn. That's the biggest downgrade since Sturgeon moved out of Bute House and into a luxury camper van.” 

He said that if Labour won the general election, he would work hand in glove with Foreign Secretary David Lammy to overhaul the Scotland Office’s operations.

“After 13 years of incompetent Tory government it’s a shell of what it can be,” he said

“It involves itself in Scottish public life only when it's asked in a political fight, or the Secretary of State is defending Liz Truss.

“If we win the trust of the voters next year, Anas, Keir and I have a different plan.”

He said the main elements would be selling "Scotland the brand" hard overseas; setting up GB Energy in Scotland; and rewiring devolution in line with Gordon Brown’s Commission on the UK’s Future.  

Mr Murray also said that, despite multiple disagreements with the SNP, he would “put political differences aside to deliver for the Scottish people”.  

Earlier in the day, Mr Murray said a Labour government could not “categorically” rule out blocking Scottish legislation but would seek to repair relations with Holyrood.

He said using Section 35 of the Scotland Act to veto a Holyrood Bill, which Scottish Secretary Alister Jack did to Holyrood’s gender reforms, should never be a “first resort”.

But asked if he could rule out another Section 35 order under Labour, he told BBC Radio Scotland: “Well we can’t categorically say that because the reason Section 35 exists in the Scotland Act…. to make sure devolution could work.

“And what we need to do is make sure that Section 35 is a very, very last resort and not the first resort and that means you’ve got to repair relationships and work together.”