SNP to play 'trump card' of school closures in battle for Martin's seat

Published on Friday 22 May 2009 23:38

SCHOOL closures across Glasgow look set to be the SNP's main weapon in winning a potential by-election in the city.

With Michael Martin expected to follow parliamentary convention and quit as an MP when he steps down as Speaker, it appears that the Nationalists intend to take a leaf from Labour's campaign tactics in Glenrothes last November.

In that by-election Labour surprised even itself by holding on to the seat comfortably, a victory attributed to unpopular policies by SNP-led Fife Council.

In particular, elderly voters were said to be furious about massively increased care charges and this was taken out on the SNP candidate, Peter Grant, the leader of Fife Council. Now the Nationalists have identified fury over school closures by the Labour-run city council as being a means of taking the previously safe Labour Glasgow North East seat.

Six schools in the constituency are under threat from closure or merger – Sighthill Primary, Barmulloch Primary, St Gilbert's Primary, Albert Primary, St Aloysius Primary, Craigielea Day Nursery and Broompark Day Nursery. Parents and staff have been fighting a furious campaign to stop the closures going ahead.

Anne McLaughlin, who was the SNP candidate for the seat until she became an MSP following the death of Bashir Ahmad, said: "There is real anger about the closure of schools in Glasgow and its a Labour council which is doing it.

"I think this will be a very important issue if there is a by- election and I'm sure we will highlight it."

However, Labour has insisted that it is ready to defend its record and has claimed that the fault for the closures lies with the SNP Scottish Government.

Labour points out that SNP/ Liberal Democrat coalition run councils in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Fife have also started highly unpopular school closure programmes.

"This goes to prove that the real problem is the SNP's council tax freeze and failure to fund education properly," a Labour Party spokesman said.

"We will certainly be making sure that Glasgow North East voters know where the blame lies."

However, despite parties mobilising for a by-election, it is still unclear if there will be one or when it will be.

Many would prefer to avoid a by-election altogether with either an early general election or Mr Martin staying on until parliament is dissolved.

Scottish Labour leaders and the Prime Minister are said to be split over when a by-election should be held.

Gordon Brown is believed to prefer a July poll to get the by-election done and dusted as quickly as possible. But Labour activists in Scotland remember the ill-fated Glasgow East by-election at the same time last summer, when a previously safe seat was over turned by the Nationalists' John Mason.

This time in Glasgow North East they will be facing another high-profile councillor in Grant Thom who, like Mr Mason, has made a name for himself fighting local issues.

The one calculation is that unlike Mr Mason, Mr Thom was only elected in 2007 and has only had two years to bed himself in.

Meanwhile there has been speculation about the likely Conservative candidate. Yesterday, leading QC Paul McBride, a recent convert to the party, ruled himself out.