Date set for Inverclyde by-election following death of David Cairns

THE by-election for Inverclyde, the seat which was held by Labour MP David Cairns until his death last month, has been set for June 30.

Labour moved the procedural writ in the House of Commons today to start the Inverclyde by-election.

It was formally moved by the party's chief whip, Rosie Winterton.

Mr Cairns, who died from pancreatitis aged 44, held Inverclyde for Labour in 2010 with a majority of 14,416.

In the nearest equivalent Holyrood constituency, Greenock and Inverclyde, Labour's Duncan McNeil held on with a majority of just 511 in the Scottish Parliament election.

Labour has selected Inverclyde Council leader Iain McKenzie to defend Mr Cairns' former Westminster seat.

The married father of two, from Greenock, saw off competition from a former soldier and former Labour MSP David Whitton, one of a number of high-profile victims of the SNP's landslide victory in the Scottish Parliament election last month.

Mr McKenzie said: "I am proud of Inverclyde and am the only one of the main candidates so far that actually lives here.

"This election is about our future. Our area is on the up, but there is much more to do.

Former Glasgow MSP Anne McLaughlin will contest the seat for the Scottish National Party.

Today's announcement is a departure from previous Labour predictions that a June 30 date was "unlikely".

A Labour spokesman said last week that the party was keen to avoid holding the poll during the Scottish school holidays, and indicated the party may opt for a "long lead-in time" which would have set the date back for around two months.