Labour wins Glasgow North East
Willie Bain wins Glasgow North East by-election with majority of over 8,000
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Friday, 13, Nov 2009 10:17
By Richard James.
Labour won the Glasgow North East by-election overnight with a majority of over 8,000.
Willie Bain, a law lecturer, won 12,231 of the votes. His nearest rival, SNP candidate David Kerr, received just 4,120.
The Conservatives only just managed to beat the British National Party to third place, claiming 1,075 votes to the BNP's 1,013.
The Liberal Democrats came sixth.
Reports suggest the official turnout stood at 32.97 per cent - a record low for a Scottish by-election.
In his victory speech on Thursday night, Mr Bain declared the result represented a "great day for Labour".
"This is a resounding victory for Gordon Brown and Labour," he said.
"This by-election has been about many things but most of all it has been about jobs and the economy. Tonight people have had their say.
"They have backed Gordon Brown in his efforts to secure our economic recovery, they have sent a resounding 'No' to Alex Salmond and his treatment of our great city and a resounding 'No' to David Cameron."
The by-election was triggered by former speaker Michael Martin's resignation in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal earlier this year.
Yesterday's vote is expected to be the last by-election before next year's general election.