Glasgow SNP - Scottish Independence - Knightswood Park By-election 2005

Did Glasgow need a 71st Labour councillor?

Friday, 11 November 2005
Labour's Paul Rooney won the Knightswood Park by-election on Thursday 10th taking some 54% of the vote while the combined opposition took 46%. The SNP candidate, Graeme Hendry, took 21%, up from 17% in 2003. John Mason, the SNP Group Leader congratulated Mr Rooney on his election. He said, "Mr Rooney appears to be an intelligent individual and hopefully he will not abandon his brain when he enters the City Chambers. Glasgow needs councillors who can think for themselves rather than being obedient little cogs in the Labour machine."
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Labour cheat over campaign rooms

Friday, 04 November 2005

Labour booked rooms for the by-election in Knightswood Park before the other parties even knew if Charlie Gordon was resigning!

The Council only had one empty shop within the ward (172 Archerhill Road) and the Labour Party expressed an interest in this on Monday 3 October. Expressing an interest effectively means booking it as the Council operates a "first come first served" policy. Then on Wednesday 5 October the Council's Property sub-committee approved the letting of premises for a by-election for a nominal rent of £50. The paper on this was only tabled at the meeting and had not been on the agenda. This was the first "official" indication for opposition parties that there was going to be a by-election soon. (Potentially Charlie Gordon could have held his Council seat until the next Council elections in 2007, as Tommy Sheridan did from 1999 to 2003.) After the meeting the SNP inquired about available premises but were told there was nothing in the ward. It later transpired that the available rooms had been allocated to Labour.

Graeme Slams Glasgow Health Reform

Wednesday, 19 October 2005
Commenting on proposed reforms of maternity and accident & emergency provision in Glasgow, Graeme Hendry said: "Knightswood Park has a large elderly population and whilst health care provision affects us all, many of the older residents of Knightswood Park must be very worried about the prospect of the entire north and west of Glasgow being without A & E provision. Many residents will have grandchildren or look forward to having them in the near future. They must also be concerned that the world class service provided by both the Sick Childrens' and Queen Mother's Maternity hospital at Yorkhill are facing the axe.
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Graeme Hendry Launches Major Consultation Exercise

Tuesday, 18 October 2005

During this next couple of weeks every resident will be contacted by Graeme or a local SNP member to find out what issues are of particular concern to them. On the consultation exercise Graeme said -

"I have stood for the SNP in Knightswood Park twice before, both at council and at a parliamentary level and I have a good idea about many of the issues that matter to the electorate. However too often politicians spend too much time telling voters what they want when they would be better advised to start listening to them. This is why it is crucial that we have such an extensive consultation exercise and the SNP will publish the results very soon."

SNP selects candidate to win Knightswood Park by-election

Monday, 17 October 2005

Graeme Hendry has been selected by the SNP to fight the Knightswood Park by- election on November 10th. On winning the nomination Graeme said -

'I wish Charlie Gordon all the best in representing the people of Cathcart on the southside of Glasgow. This has, however, left the people of Knightswood Park unrepresented at a time when their area in the north west of Glasgow faces many pressing issues. I believe I am the correct person to have the privilege of representing the people of Knightswood Park during this important time'.