Glasgow East by-election

[Rural Radical]

Labour *should* hold Glasgow East. Then again, that's only a "should"

We should hold this with a majority of this size.

What chances of a retread (former M.P.) running for this seat?

[Rural Radical]

Scottish Labour by-election record 1997 - 2007
February 2nd 2006: Dunfermline and West Fife: Lib Dem GAIN Lab -17%
September 29th 2005: Livingston: Lab HOLD Lab -10%
December 21st 2000: Falkirk West: Lab HOLD Lab -16%
November 23rd 2000: Glasgow, Anniesland: Lab HOLD Lab -10%
September 23rd 1999: Hamilton South: Lab HOLD Lab -29%
November 6th 1997: Paisley South: Lab HOLD Lab -13%

Average Labour Change: -16%

Based on those figures irt should be a labour hold.

[Rural Radical]

Do you think Curran will be the Labour candidate at the GE?

I thought she was a good candidate, Better than Dunwoody Junior in Crewe anyway.

[Rural Radical]

Better than Dunwoody Junior in Crewe anyway.

Dunwoody jr was a better candidate than people have assumed post-election. It's just that the sort of campaign Labour ran really, really didn't suit her. Interestingly, that level of central control over by-elections is a legacy of the worst of all Glasgow by-election debacles; Govan 1988.

The campaign in C&W was shocking too say the least.

What happened to Fraser Kemp running our by elections?

I would have thought that somebody like Peter Bradley (Ex Wrekin MP) would have been a better fit, with more appeal to the Nantwich and rural areas.