News from Labour Matters

Willie Bain: “The General Election is very much game on”

What is likely to be last Westminster election before the general election next year, Labour’s Willie Bain stormed to victory and said that the result showed that it’s still “game on” for Gordon Brown.

Willie Bain comfortably beat the SNP’s David Kerr with a majority of 8,111 and almost 60% of the vote. The Conservatives were unable to make any headway, barely beating the BNP to third place, despite campaign visits by David Cameron and George Osborne.

“It’s a great endorsement for Gordon Brown in his efforts to set the economy back on track and it shows the General Election is very much game on,” Willie Bain said.

“I am overwhelmed by this result and I am over the moon about the trust that people have placed in me.

“This is a huge honour but there is a huge task ahead particularly on jobs.”

The Glasgow North East by-election was caused by Michael Martin’s resignation as Commons Speaker in the wake of the expenses scandal. This may explain why only a third of eligible voters bothered to vote, the lowest turnout in Scottish by-election history.

Glasgow North East by-election result:
Labour – 12,231 votes (59.39%);
SNP – 4,120 votes (20%);
Tory – 1,075 votes (5.22%);
BNP – 1,013 votes (4.92%),