Livingston By-Election

[Ben.]

The more I think about it the more I miss the guy… damn it!

Interesting fact, his former wife was a heart surgeon (certainly a doctor), had he still been married to her she might have been able to resuscitate him, as it was there was no one with medical training at the scene when he collapsed on the side of a mountain… talk about irony


As  for Livingston, SNP complicate it for any LD bandwagon… though I’m sure the LibDem’s will have a candidate within the week… ginger sh*ts! Kennedy’s gushing statement was really sickening because you just know his aides are planning a flurry of trips for him to the area in the near future!   

Labour should hold on, but a by-election in that kind of seat so soon after a general election you’re looking at turnout of 38-45%... so an upset is possible from either the SNP or LibDems, LibDems probably come second, Labour eek out a win.       

[Ben.]

Labour will hold Livingstone easily. It is a 'new town' seat. so is not as solidly Labour in it's tradition as older central belt towns are. It's beginning to become popular with Edinburgh communters due to high house prices in the capital and from my own experience is not as depressing as Cumbernauld, a common SNP target. Labour will not break 50% here, they may not even break 40% but the opposition is split and on the streets, Labour is more popular now than for a while due to the 7/7 events and their aftermath.

For me the defining issue will be the Scottish Socialists. They are a national laughing stock, banned from Parliament until September and close to being disciplined due to failing to submit their accounts for scrutiny on time. Twice. They will try to exploit Cook's position on Iraq for their own ends, but Scots don't take to kindly to that sort of thing. It may be their last stand in Scottish politics.

 Afleitch

Are you active in the Socttish Conservatives by any chance?

I agree that Labour certainly shouldn’t hope to break 50%, and may very well not break 40% but the split opposition should play to their advantage with the SNP and LibDem getting into a fearful scrap to be cast as “the challenger” to Labour… no doubt the LibDem are even now selecting their candidate, no doubt Chris Reynard is perusing properties to let in Livingston town centre and little yellow researches are poring over old editions of the local rags… vulchers!

What ever happened to the SSP? Sheridan was once quite popular with a certain section of the Scottish electorate, what was the background behind him resigning as leader and what was the aftermath?           

[Ben.]

Just in: Labour have picked Jim Devine

Not really a surprise, but a good pick none the less, should be able to win this without to much trouble i would have thought unless they run a campaign like they did in Leicester South, I've never seen uglier litrature and a more muddeld message

[Ben.]

Devine holds the seat, majority around 3,000.

Not offical yet, but that's whats being put about.

[Ben.]

Charles Gordon has a reputation as a 'bruiser', always fighting the case for Glasgow. I hope he continues to do so in Holyrood. Despite not being a Labour supporter anymore, he was my favoured choice to win the seat.

For me the greatest result was that of the Scottish Socialists. They are falling back from their high point of 2003. Even the Greens bet them in Livingston. Under the leadership of Colin Fox with his earing and 1980's mullet they are being gradually exposed as a bit of a laughing stock now.

Do you suppose Sheridan will hold on to his Glasgow seat? At least that's where i think it is.