SNP and Lib Dems name their by-election candidates

Published on Friday 4 July 2008 00:45

THE SNP and the Liberal Democrats last night announced their candidates ahead of the Glasgow East by-election.

The Nationalists selected councillor, John Mason, a choice which drew criticism from Labour. The Lib Dems had earlier named their candidate as Ian Robertson, a teacher.

The 24 July poll was triggered by the resignation on health grounds of the long-serving Labour MP David Marshall. The vote, which is crucial for his party, comes in the wake of bruising by-election defeats for Labour at Crewe and Henley.

Labour – which enjoyed a majority of 13,507 in Glasgow East in the 2005 general election – will announce its candidate today, as will Solidarity. The SNP would need a 21.9 per cent swing to win the seat from Labour.

Mr Mason is leader of the SNP group on Glasgow Council and represents the Baillieston ward in the Glasgow East constituency. He has represented the east end since winning a council by-election in 1998.

He said: "By voting for the SNP, the people of Glasgow East will elect an MP who will put Glasgow before Gordon Brown and speak up for the interests of people in this constituency."

But Labour claimed he was the party's fourth choice. A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "The SNP have chosen a candidate whose political priorities are clear. In his own words, he is in politics for one reason and that is to break up the UK."

Meanwhile, Mr Robertson, a maths teacher at Bellahouston Academy, said he would be a "strong local champion" on unemployment and crime issues.

He added: "Local people are feeling let down by Gordon Brown's Labour government."

The Scottish Socialist Party has selected Frances Curran, a former MSP, as its candidate for the by-election.

The Conservatives were first to select a candidate, naming Davena Rankin, a Glasgow-schooled trade union member.