Prime Minister to campaign in Glasgow North-East by-election

Oct 20 2009

PRIME MINISTER Gordon Brown will join the campaign trail in the Glasgow North East by-election, it was confirmed today.

Mr Brown is expected to visit the constituency to support Labour candidate Willie Bain around the time of a two-day meeting of G20 finance ministers at St Andrews in early November.

His wife Sarah is also expected to pay several visits to Glasgow North East, where polling takes place on November 12.

The PM faced taunts from opposition parties when he did not take part in last summer's Glasgow East by-election, where the SNP landed a memorable victory.

Labour argued then that it was customary for Prime Ministers not to take part in by-election campaigns.

But Mr Brown paid a brief visit to the Glenrothes by-election last autumn, where his party saw off an SNP challenge and kept the seat.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said today: "We are delighted that the Prime Minister will be coming to campaign in Glasgow North East to show his support for our excellent local candidate Willie Bain.

"He will be a real boost to the campaign."

A Labour source added: "We know that the by-election is going to be tight but we are up for the fight.

"What better way of demonstrating our determination to win every vote we can than getting the Prime Minister out on the campaign trail, winning votes for Labour?"

But SNP by-election campaign coordinator Stewart Hosie said: "Another stage-managed photo opportunity won't address the challenges 74 years of Labour neglect has left this constituency facing."

The by-election comes after former constituency MP and ex-Commons Speaker Michael Martin - now Lord Martin - quit over the MPs' expenses scandal.

At the last General Election he had a majority of more than 10,000 over the SNP.