SNP shock victory in Glasgow East

[notanotherone]

SNP candidate John Mason handed Labour a humiliating loss in the Glasgow East by-election after taking one of their safest seats with a 22% swing in the vote.

It took a full recount at Labour's request to confirm the result as Mason defeated Labour candidate Margaret Curran by just 365 votes.

The SNP candidate polled 11277 to Labour's 10912.

Conservative candidate Davena Rankin came third with 1639, with Lib Dem hopeful Ian Robertson fourth with 915.


Turnout in the vote yesterday was around 42%.

Mr Mason had arrived to a hero's welcome from party activists for the count at Tollcross Leisure Centre in the early hours of this morning, as word that the SNP had pulled off an incredible victory in the constituency began to filter round.


Labour had called for a recount of the votes but at around 2.30am the result was declared and the full scope of the swing towards the SNP became clear.

The seat had been Labour's third safest in Scotland, and one of their top safe seats across the UK, and will be seen as another blow to Gordon Brown's premiership.

Labour had faced a tough task from the start of the campaign, after their first choice candidate pulled out, leaving Glasgow MSP Curran to step in.

Previous incumbent David Marshall, who quit the seat on health grounds last month, had held the seat with a 13,507 majority.