Labour hails by-election victory
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Reuters
Scottish Labour Party candidate Willie Bain waves after being declared the winner in the Glasgow North East by-election
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Gordon Brown ended a traumatic week on a rare high note as he celebrated Labour’s “tremendous” victory today in the Glasgow North East by-election.
The party shrugged off its woes to win almost 60 per cent of the vote and pile up a majority of 8,111 over the Scottish National Party.
Although the result was achieved in a traditional Labour stronghold, it helped to relieve the gloom surrounding Mr Brown and looks certain to defuse speculation over his leadership.
The sense of relief in Labour HQ came after a week initially overshadowed by Mr Brown’s misspelled letter of condolence to Jacqui Janes, the mother whose son was killed in Afghanistan.
Party strategists believe widespread sympathy developed among the public for the Prime Minister over the episode, pointing to a poll revealing that 65 per cent of voters believe the Sun’s coverage of the letter became an “inappropriate attack” on him.
They are now pinning their hopes on next week’s Queens Speech and next month’s Pre-Budget Report to enable the party to narrow the large Conservative lead in the national opinion polls.
As The Independent disclosed today, the Queen’s Speech will contain measures to give new rights to hospital patients, improve social care for elderly and curb bankers’ bonuses.
Labour’s candidate in Glasgow North East, Willie Bain, won 12,231 votes, with the runner-up, the SNP’s David Kerr, on 4,120.
Mr Bain’s majority was almost as large as that achieved in the last general election by the former Commons speaker, Michael Martin, whose elevation to the House of Lords triggered the by-election. Mr Bain claimed it was now “game on” for the general election.
Mr Brown said: “This is a tremendous result. Willie Bain was a great candidate and will make a great MP. This shows that when we fight hard we win.”
The Scottish Secretary, Jim Murphy, claimed the victory was an endorsement of Mr Brown's leadership.
“He visited the constituency, that's not the convention, but he thought it was the right thing to do, to lead from the front of the campaign and he's been vindicated,” Mr Murphy said.
The Conservatives came third with 1,075 votes, narrowly ahead of the British National Party on 1.013 votes. The Liberal Democrats were pushed into a humiliating sixth behind the far-Left Solidarity Party.
Labour poured resources into Glasgow North East as the party was desperate to avoid a repeat of last year’s by-election in neighbouring Glasgow East where the SNP demolished a 12,000 Labour majority.
Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, put a brave face on today’s result. He said: “David Kerr achieved progress in what is the Labour Party’s safest seat in Scotland – despite a relentlessly negative Labour campaign. He did chalk up the SNP’s best Westminster share of the vote in this constituency for 35 years.
“Of course we are disappointed not to do better, and will reflect carefully on the result and the lessons to be learned.”
Result
Willie Bain (Lab) 12,231 (59.39%)
David Kerr (SNP) 4,120 (20.00%)
Ruth Davidson (C) 1,075 (5.22%)
Charlie Baillie (BNP) 1,013 (4.92%)
Tommy Sheridan (Solidarity) 794 (3.86%)
Eileen Baxendale (LD) 474 (2.30%)
David Doherty (Green) 332 (1.61%)
John Smeaton (Jury Team) 258 (1.25%)
Kevin McVey (SSP) 152 (0.74%)
Mikey Hughes (ND) 54 (0.26%)
Louise McDaid (Soc Lab) 47 (0.23%)
Mev Brown (Ind) 32 (0.16%)
Colin Campbell (TILT) 13 (0.06%)
Lab majority: 8,111 (39.38%)
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Comments
Willie Bain might be an idiot, but when he grows up he will probably be a rich one. Anyway " Game on " for the General Election, he brays, let's have it then big boy, now, not at the last possible second !
however we have far bigger fish to fry in the months to come and are more than confident that
on a national level in other parts of the UK where people are more pro-active ,more educated and less inclined to ask for more of the same lousy Governance[74years of neglect by labour] the results will be very much more successful. You have to admit losing to the Cons only by 62 votes aint bad and even that total could change as there are instances of voter fraud which is already under investigation.
Your constant cries of nazi scum are wearing rather thin and i suggest you simply cant think of anything more original to say or is it easier just to keep repeating the same worn out garbage?
Now even Brown is discussing the pros and cons of Immig. in a pathetic and desperate manner.
Is he Nazi scum ? I think you;ll find that in the coming months this topic of the downside of Immig.
which we already have experienced and know intimately about will be examined by all parties
and the label of nazi scum will become redundant...I wish you would give me your details so I could sue you for libel?? I can more than afford to, contrary to the other myths about the BNP members being poor illiterate unemployed skin heads with tattoos many are just like me, well educated financially solvent professional home owners with pets and children devoid of any form of nazi symbols.
No wonder nothing changes. If you can't even bring yourself to give the candidate in one of Labour's safest seats a good kicking at the ballot box, you shouldn't be complaining about your "slum".
Perhaps some people are just happy to live in a sink estate and put up with the same politics for generations.
I shall use that word again-take.
Is it supposed to be a surprise that twelve thousand losers decided to give their providers of benefits,and methadone an endorsement??
At least some of them by voting Tory or whatever else, showed that they at least aspire to something better.
I'm afraid that some people in life are just born losers whatever opportunities are placed under their noses.And these twelve thousand are just that-born losers.
Vote for who you like,but for Christs sake at least look further than what someone is just giving YOU.
And re writemaster 05:30-give it a rest hey cretin everyone is getting tired of the juvenile 'nazi' this and 'nazi' that stuff.You were up early 05:30....I thought school started at nine.
Even a retarded one...
How anyone could support Labour after the last few years of lies , spin, deceit and sheer incompetence is beyond comprehension but there must be a reason?
Is this constituency reliant on something Labour offers in abundance - like welfare payments?
People have a misunderstanding of the political situation in Scotland at the moment. The SNP have been making massive gains since they came to power, and on St. Andrews Day they will release their plans on an up-coming referendum on independence. As a result, anyone who is opposed to the idea of self-governance is showing as much in the ballot-boxes. Also, Labour went all out with an impressive smear campaign, and the SNP candidate wasn't the best, I think he was the 3rd or 4th choice.
Mind you, then again, Scotland has been richly rewarded by huge tax-payer subsidies by the Labour Scottish Mafia! Perhaps the voters are not so daft after all!
This is a landslide for Labour??
What? the scum of the earth voted for more misery?
Good-at least this means Brown is in situ for next May.
Real issue here should be voting reform-the present system is a monstrosity.
Labour must understand, to win the nest election it must drive us all into squolar
and more unemployment please, whilst you are at it. More bromide in our tea,
stronger hash and we'll never need to do anything but vote Labour.
I want me mummy. arkh the noo. ( and I have a family tartan, good god ), but
don't you love it when a plan comes together. Bankrupt the country and stay in
power for ever, it's brilliant !
I've read down the posts on this thread, and was amazed that no one till now had picked up what to me seems to be the obvious, overwhelming message of this result - according to a TV pundit in the early hours, it is in fact the lowest turn-out ever in any by-election in Scotland.
Indeed, even the 33% turn-out's probably an understatement of the full reality. Glasgow North-East is the sort of constitituency where a larger than average number of citizens will have dropped completely beneath the radar by not having registered to vote at all. So it's quite possible that only three out of every ten people theoretically qualified to vote did so. And they're likely to be the old tribal voters, who turn out like they always do.
The real winner, therefore is the "sod-the-lot-of-'em party", and posters in here who argue for expressing total contempt for the whole process by not voting at all can claim a sort of success.
But what does it amount to? Already Mr Murphy's proclaiming this derisory result as an endorsement of Gordon Brown's leadership. The truth is that all they care about is winning. Oh, they'll parrot regrets about the low poll and there'll be calls for the need to "re-engage" - how could they do anything else? - but that fact is that they're in, and they're in just the same how ever small the turn-out. Not voting just lets the slugs crawl over the decaying matter and the cockroaches infest the cracks, just as before.
As last night showed.
The people to be prosecuted for war crimes will include the leaders of the parliamentary political parties who supported the war Labours Blair and Brown, the Torys Hague, Duncan Smith, Howard and Cameron and all officials who conspired to prepare the pack of lies which provided the justification for the invasion of Iraq.
A BNP government will never commit British troops to any conflict which does not directly affect British interests ever.
BNPs defence policy is to:
- Strengthen our conventional forces;
- Retain a genuinely independent nuclear deterrent and produce all our weaponry in Britain;
- Only commit British forces when British national interests are at stake;
- Preserve and restore our historic County Regiments;
- Bring our troops back from Germany and withdraw from NATO, since political developments make both commitments obsolete;
- Close all foreign military bases on British soil;
- Refuse to risk British lives in meddling peacekeeping missions in parts of the world where no British interests are at stake;
- Restore national service for our young with the option of civil or military service.
The time has come for change. I will be voting BNP, I am not a racist. If the only argument is that the BNP and its supporters are and people want to insult me with this poisonous slander, then I have to tell you I dont care, youre obviously ignorant and undeniably offensive at the same time.
Take a look at the BNP's policies on their web site and then try to find fault with them.
For example, they promote autarky. To quote:
the BNP calls for the selective exclusion of foreign-made goods from British markets and the reduction of foreign imports. We will ensure that our manufactured goods are, wherever possible, produced in British factories, employing British workers.
the BNP will restore our economy and land to British ownership and will take active steps to break up the socially, economically and politically damaging monopolies now being established by the supermarket giants.
So, apart from emulating the economy of North Korea, which is perhaps not the best example to follow, they also want to reintroduce the corn laws.
Their policies in respect to Northern Ireland are even dafter; they seem to want to negate the peace process, which would, undoubtedly, mean the resurgence of the IRA. Who in their right mind would really advocate that?
Mind you, they seem to have no trouble with anti-Irish discrimination as they would Abolish anti-discrimination laws which prevent people from making a free choice.
I dare say this means a return to the No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs signs outside hotels and the like.
My personal favourite is the bit where they say they will Reach an accord with the Muslim world whereby they will agree to take back their excess population which is currently colonising this country.
You really couldnt make it up could you!
Indeed, one should perhaps take a look at the BNP website and attempt to see what is right with it.
It would after all be a simpler task.
My maths have never been brilliant, but I will chance my arm here - and if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me , and give us the correct answer - it seems to me that Willie whats his name, garnered less than 20% of the available vote. Hardly a resounding victory, or if Brown and his Familiar think it is, then let's have the GE now !
" So, apart from emulating the economy of North Korea, which is perhaps
not the best example to follow, they also want to reintroduce the corn laws ".
You're arguement was going so well. We are an economic
basket case, we've just lost half a trillion and stuffed it on any
balance sheet possible.
More globalisation ?, no ta, not for me thanks.
Perhaps a list of approved British companies might help us to judge that one.
The funniest thing on the BNP site today though is the bit where it says The British National Party has established a foothold in Scotland with the Glasgow North East by-election result.
The last time I saw a foot that small it was on a photograph of a 19th century Chinese woman.
Oh no, more bloody foreign influence!
It also might spur a few more voters to the ballot box as I am starting to feel a level of complacency in the country where most people expect a change of govt. next year. This result might create a feeling of insecurity, that horrible awful thought that Labour might actually win so they really do need to get out and vote against them or for Cameron.
Better still, Labour and the Tories can't be trusted to run our affairs, they are too busy looking after their own, so why not vote for independents, LibDems, or Greens, any one, well, almost anyone, would be better than either of the big two surely...
With only approximately 33 percent turning out to vote. This was a victory for apathy and slows that voters no longer consider the political system worthy of their time.
The real statistics are approximately 19 percent voted for New Labour 81 percent voted against them or did not vote.
I do not see this has an endorsement for New Labour or any mandate for Willie Brian to claim he represents the opinion of his constituency
This is no endorsement for the none elected New Labour Bunker commander Gordon Brown and what he is trying to do.
All it represents is that local voters have no interest in politics.
I wouldn't go as far as the BNP, but to have a trade agreement with China that means
we import 8% of our economy and export practically nothing, isn't my idea of trade.
Neo-liberilism has destroyed this country. We're in a dreadful state. Held to ransom.