Labour hails by-election victory

(Reuters)

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%)