Brown's 'surprise' by-election boost
Updated on 07 November 2008
Lindsay Roy helped Labour hold on to Glenrothes last night with an increased share of the vote despite a surge of support for the Scottish National Party.
Defying the bookies and a growing belief among SNP leadership last night that it could take the constituency, Labour won with a majority of 6,737, an increased share of the vote of 3.2 per cent.
The SNP came second with 13,209 votes, up 13 per cent from the 2005 election.
Both the Tories and Liberal Democrats were squeezed out, polling 1,381 and 947 votes respectively.
The turnout of 36,195 - 52 per cent of the electorate - was marginally down on 2005.
Glenrothes results
- Lindsay Roy (Lab) 19,946 (55.11%, +3.20%)
- Peter Grant (SNP) 13,209 (36.49%, +13.13%)
- Maurice Golden (C) 1,381 (3.82%, -3.28%)
- Harry Wills (LD) 947 (2.62%, -10.04%)
- Jim Parker (SSCUP) 296 (0.82%)
- Morag Balfour (SSP) 212 (0.59%, -1.30%)
- Kris Seunarine (UKIP) 117 (0.32%, -0.85%)
- Louise McLeary (Solidarity) 87 (0.24%)
The result, which surprised Labour officials in Scotland, will come as a major boost to Gordon Brown.
His chances of survival are a lot stronger than they were when this by-election was brought about in the summer by the death of the standing MP, John MacDougall.
Brown's troubles were crystalised by the July Glasgow East by-election, where the SNP achieved an enormous 22.5 per cent swing to overturn a 13,000 majority.
Glenrothes borders Brown's Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency, and the prime minister staked political capital by visiting it twice during the campaign.
In doing so he broke with political precedent that suggests prime minsters stay away from by-elections.
Glenrothes: reaction and full results
The SNP leader, Alex Salmond, visited the seat 11 times during the campaign and it will be seen as a personal blow to him as well as his party who took over control of the Scottish Parliament earlier this year.
Prior to the result, the SNP believed it was heading for victory with the 12.3 per cent swing needed to overturn the 10,664 majority.
The party's optimism was matched by pessimism among Labour officials. One said he was "bewildered" by the final result, although others questioned how inaccurate private polling could have been on such a relatively small turnout.
