Labour by-election victor cheered to his seat

NEW Scots Labour MP Iain McKenzie took his seat in the House of Commons yesterday amid cheers from his party's benches.

Mr McKenzie, who won the Inverclyde seat in a by-election after the death of Labour MP David Cairns, was supported by Gemma Doyle (West Dunbartonshire) and Ian Murray (Edinburgh South).

He swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen before taking his seat in the House, moments before Labour's Chris Bryant rose to request an urgent debate on the phone-hacking scandal.

After retaining the seat for Labour, Mr McKenzie's victory was hailed as a fightback against the Scottish National Party.