Ross Lydall's by-election blog

Published on 17/07/2008 11:09

Thursday, 1000hrs

THE caf in Tesco's superstore in Shettleston is becoming the hub of the by-election campaign.

Yesterday Annabel Goldie, the Tory leader in Scotland, and the party's health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon were to be found having lunch there and attempting to recover from their exertions that morning at a "stretch and tone" class at the Tolcross Park leisure centre with candidate Davena Rankin.

And who did they bump into but the brilliantly tanned - some may say mahogany-veneered - Solidarity party leader Tommy Sheridan, who was having a bite to eat with candidate Tricia McLeish.

Today the Tories will return to Tesco with former national party leader William Hague. They will highlight the soaring cost of living.

With Labour's Margaret Curran heading to a community health shop in Barlanark and the SNP's John Mason off to the Global Glasgow Youth Project, the visit by the former Thatcherite boy wonder - who has become something of a Commons hero for his dazzling despatch box repartee - looks to be the highlight of the day.

Ross Lydall is The Scotsman's Political Editor. He'll be blogging from Glasgow East in the run-up to the election on July 24.