Countdown to by-election begins as date is named for Glasgow poll

Published on Thursday 8 October 2009 22:06

THE countdown to what is likely to be the last serious electoral test in Britain before next year's general election began last night when 12 November was formally announced as the date for the Glasgow North East by-election.

The late autumn date, just over a year after Labour confounded many pundits by holding on to Glenrothes, had been widely mooted as the probable day for the by-election to replace the former Commons Speaker, Michael Martin.

Opponents had accused Labour of delaying the by-election unnecessarily when an attempt by the SNP to move the writ before the summer recess, to allow a July contest, was voted down in Westminster.

The SNP, which had opposed a July by-election in the neighbouring Glasgow East 12 months before, tasted success that summer and had hoped for a repeat this year.

Conservative insiders suggested that the timing of the announcement may have been aimed at deflecting slightly from their leader David Cameron's conference speech yesterday.

Labour hopes that its candidate, Willie Bain, will give the party a good win and provide momentum going into next year's general election.

Last night, it set about its main challengers for the seat, the SNP, highlighting supposed differences between the Nationalist candidate, David Kerr, and justice secretary Kenny MacAskill.

In a leaflet, Mr Kerr had complained that jail sentences were not long enough, which seemed to be at odds with Mr MacAskill's preference of community sentences.

Mr Bain, 36, who portrays himself as the only local candidate, also attacked Mr Kerr's previous gaffe of mocking the local university, Glasgow Caledonian.

"He (Kerr] is a yes man who laughed and mocked a Glasgow university for 'not having a reputation to tarnish'," said Mr Bain. "That kind of snobbish attitude disgusts me."

Mr Kerr, a former BBC journalist, has also been attacked for his membership of Opus Dei and in the past playing down sectarianism. He is his party's fourth choice for the seat.

However, he was in bullish mood yesterday, highlighting decades of failure by successive Labour MPs to turn around the most deprived constituency in Britain.

"After 74 years of Labour failure and neglect, it's time for a fresh start in Glasgow North East," he said. "Around the constituency, people are looking to the SNP as a party that is on their side and for an MP that will give them a strong voice."

He and Mr Bain are up against another former BBC journalist, Ruth Davidson, standing for the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrat candidate is Eileen Baxendale, a South Lanarkshire councillor.

However, both parties are running at 100/1 to win the seat, according to bookmakers, who have installed Glasgow Airport bomb hero John Smeaton, running under the Jury Team ticket, as the third favourite at 7/1.

Meanwhile, the Greens unveiled their candidate – David Doherty, 24, who is on the board of a building renovation charity in Glasgow.

The left-wing Solidarity party confirmed that its co-convener, Tommy Sheridan, would also be standing in the Glasgow North East seat.