Prime Minister to campaign in Glasgow North East by-election

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 13:37

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown is to campaign in the Glasgow North East by-election, it was confirmed today.

No date has been set for his visit but it could take place around the time of a two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers at St Andrews in Fife in early November.

Mr Brown faced taunts from opposition parties when he did not take part in last summer's Glasgow East by-election, where the SNP went on to snatch the previously safe Labour seat from the SNP.

Labour argued then that it was customary for Prime Ministers not to take part in by-election campaigns.

But Mr Brown paid a brief visit to the Glenrothes by-election last autumn, where his party saw off an SNP challenge and kept the seat.

His wife, Sarah, made several visits to the Glenrothes campaign, including one where she went door-knocking to drum up support.

And she is expected to pay several visits to Glasgow North East, where polling takes place on November 12.

When Labour launched its Glasgow North East campaign yesterday, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said: "After Glasgow East, we know how to lose a by-election.

"After Glenrothes, we know how to win and we are going to do our very best by the folk in this community."

A Scottish Labour spokesman said today: "We are delighted that the Prime Minister will be coming to campaign in Glasgow North East to show his support for our excellent local candidate Willie Bain.

"He will be a real boost to the campaign."

A Labour source added: "We know that the by-election is going to be tight but we are up for the fight.

"What better way of demonstrating our determination to win every vote we can than getting the Prime Minister out on the campaign trail, winning votes for Labour?"

The vacancy in the constituency was created in June when ex-Commons Speaker Michael Martin – now Lord Martin – quit over the MPs' expenses scandal.

At the last General Election he had a majority of more than 10,000 over the SNP. In line with tradition no other main party stood against the Speaker.

SNP by-election campaign coordinator Stewart Hosie said: "Another stage-managed photo opportunity won't address the challenges 74 years of Labour neglect has left this constituency facing."

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister will visit Glasgow North East to show his support for the excellent local candidate Willie Bain.

"Willie has an impressive set of ideas about what needs to be done in his community and Gordon wants to give him his full backing – he will be a local voice for Glasgow."