SNP blame negative Labour campaign for Glasgow North East by-election loss

Published on Friday 13 November 2009 15:18

THE SNP has attributed the loss of the Glasgow North East by-election to negative campaigning by Labour.

Deputy leader of the Nationalists, Nicola Sturgeon, said the party was still on course to win 20 seats at the next general election and that they had been a victim of a "grudge and grievance" campaign.

Labour claimed throughout the by-election run-in that the SNP government was neglecting Glasgow.

The party was accused of costing the city jobs through its decision to scrap the Glasgow Airport rail link.

At a post by-election press conference in Glasgow today, Ms Sturgeon pointed out that the party had achieved its best Westminster result in Glasgow North East for 35 years.

"The general election campaign will be vastly different to the campaign in Glasgow North East, she said.

"The kind of campaign Labour ran is impossible to run in a general election.

"They will be the ones in the dock – not just for allegedly ripping off part of the country, but the whole country."

The SNP's candidate in the contest, David Kerr, was not present at the press briefing.

Ms Sturgeon said he was taking "a well-earned rest" and described him as "a first-class candidate who will go far in politics".