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By-election win shows breakthrough in Glasgow - First ever SNP hold in Glasgow by-election |
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Friday, 19 September 2008 |
L abour's American-style campaigning backfires
Commenting on the result of the Baillieston council by-election result where the SNP overturned a 13% Labour lead in 1st preference votes the SNP Business Convener and Westminster leader Angus Robertson said it reinforced the SNP's positive message that it was the party of the future.
Commenting on the result Mr Robertson said: "This result was described by the Press Association as a 'triumph' for the SNP after we overturned a 13% Labour lead in first preference votes. It is all the more significant since it is the first time EVER that we have held a seat in a Glasgow Council by-election.
"David Turner will make an excellent councillor for Baillieston and his well-deserved victory reflects our success in the Glasgow East by-election.
"It is a further humiliation for Labour and shows how out of touch they have become with the people of the East End of Glasgow. For decades they have taken them for granted and paid the price.
"The adoption of American-style campaigning by Labour council leader Steven Purcell has backfired and left the Labour party with more egg on their faces."
Notes:
1. The result of first preference votes was:
|
Party |
1st Pref votes |
% |
Change | | SNP | 2318 | 44.61% | 11.37% | | Labour | 2167 | 41.71% | -4.27% | | Tories | 259 | 4.98% | -1.55% | | LibDem | 159 | 3.06% | -0.72% | | Solidarity | 74 | 1.42% | -3.07% | | BNP | 73 | 1.4% | n/a | | SSP | 58 | 1.12% | -1.04% | | Green | 45 | 0.87% | -0.88% | | SUP | 43 | 0.83% | -1.25% |
2. The final vote tally was:
SNP 2, 511 (52. 10%)
Lab 2, 313 (47. 90%)
3. From Steven Purcell's interview with the Scotland on Sunday's Spectrum magazine last Sunday:
"We are soon motoring along Duke Street. Away from the City Chambers, Purcell seems more relaxed. He loves campaigning, and spent a recent holiday in Florida helping out the Democrats and Barack Obama. "I know it's a terrible thing to say," he laughs, "but I can't take to John McCain. He doesn't look like a president. He looks like your grandad."
"Purcell returned to Glasgow with some American ideas about how to run a campaign. Recognising that the public, especially in this part of the city, have had their fill of party politics, activists have been distributing posters and leaflets which make no mention of Labour and use purple rather than traditional red. Based around the slogan 'Who is Andy Muir?', these materials form the basis of a teaser campaign designed to build interest in the candidate. Everyone connected with the campaign seems tickled by this wheeze, and that's important, too - it cheers and energises the party faithful who were in a slump after the disaster of Glasgow East. It would be sweet revenge on the Nationalists to win Baillieston on Thursday." |
