Glasgow North East
2005 Results:
Speaker: 15153 (53.3%)
SNP: 5019 (17.7%)
Socialist Labour: 4036 (14.2%)
SSP: 1402 (4.9%)
Scot Unionist: 1266 (4.5%)
BNP: 920 (3.2%)
Independent: 622 (2.2%)
Majority: 10134 (35.6%)
Boundary changes prior to 2005 election: Name of seat changed from Glasgow Springburn.
2001 Result
Labour: 16053 (66.6%)
SNP: 4675 (19.4%)
Other: 3376 (14%)
Majority: 11378 (47.2%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 1893 (6%)
Labour: 22534 (71.4%)
Liberal Democrat: 1349 (4.3%)
SNP: 5208 (16.5%)
Referendum: 186 (0.6%)
Other: 407 (1.3%)
Majority: 17326 (54.9%)
No Boundary Changes
Profile: A grim slice of north-east Glasgow, scarred by gangs, deprivation and hard drugs. The innermost Dennistoun area retains the original Victorian tenements and has undergone some gentrification becoming popular with students and young professionals, to the north there are new developments on the outskirts of Glasgow at Robroyston. The rest of the seat though consists of the some of the most degraded, deprived and crime-ridden parts of the UK: the heroin-ravaged Possilpark, the tower blocks of Sighthill and Red Road, decayed housing estates of Springburn and the amenity-free Milton, product of earlier attempts at slum clearance.
As with most of Glasgow, this is a solid Labour bastion. In 2005 the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats followed the sometime convention of not standing against the Speaker seeking re-election, but Michael Martin was opposed by the SNP as well as several fringe parties. Arthur Scargill’s Socialist Labour party achieved 14% of the vote in the absence of a actual Labour candidate on the ballot paper.
Current MP: vacant. Michael Martin (Speaker) stepped down as MP on the 22nd June (more information at They work for you)
Candidates:
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 88156
Male: 46.9%
Female: 53.1%
Under 18: 22.9%
Over 60: 22.2%
Born outside UK: 4.4%
White: 96.4%
Black: 0.5%
Asian: 1.4%
Mixed: 0.3%
Other: 1.4%
Christian: 69.3%
Muslim: 1.6%
Graduates 16-74: 9.3%
No Qualifications 16-74: 52%
Owner-Occupied: 38.8%
Social Housing: 51.3% (Council: 36.7%, Housing Ass.: 14.6%)
Privately Rented: 4.2%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 17.1%
2009 By-election
Michael Martin was forced to announce his resignation as Speaker in May 2009, having been openly criticised over his response to the expenses scandal and having clearly lost the support of many MPs. He formally stepped down as an MP on the 22nd June 2009, precipitating a by-election, which after a long delay over the recess was set for the 12th November 2009.
By-election candidates: Charlie Baillie (BNP) Born Glasgow. Electriacal contractor. Contested Scotland in 2009 European elections.
Eileen Baxendale (Liberal Democrat) Former social worker. South Lanarkshire councillor.
William Bain (Labour) law lecturer.
Ruth Davidson (Conservative) Former journalist and documentary maker, currently studying at Glasgow University.
David Doherty (Green) Educated at the University of Strathclyde.
David Kerr (SNP) Born 1973, Glasgow. Educated at St Andrews University. BBC reporter and former Editor of Newsnight Scotland. Contested Falkirk West by-election 2000.
Kevin McVey (SSP)
Tommy Sheridan (Solidarity) Born 1964, Glasgow. Educated at Lourdes Secondary and Stirling University. Former member of Labour and the Militant Tendency, he was a prominent poll tax rebel and campaigner against Faslane Navel Base, for which he was twice jailed. A leading figure in the creation of the Scottish Socialist party, which he lead from its creation in 1998 until 2004. Shortly after his resignation the News of the World published allegations that Sheridan had attended swingers parties, Sheridan sued for libel and won, despite members of the SSP tesitfying against him. Sheridan subsequently resigned from the SSP and founded a new party, Solidarity. Sheridan has subsequently been charged with perjury in relation to the libel trial, the hearing is expected later in 2009. Glasgow councillor 1992-2003. MSP for Glasgow 1999-2007. Contested Glasgow Pollock 1992, 1997 as Scottish Militant Labour. Contested 2009 European elections for No2EU.
John Smeaton (Jury Team) born 1976, Bishopton. Educated at Park Mains High School. Airport baggage handler, who in 2007 tackled a terrorist during an attack on Glasgow airport. Awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in 2007.
John Swinburne (SSCUP) born 1930, Pennsylvania. Educated at Dalziel High School. Consultant, and former engineer and freelance journalist. Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland 2003-2007. Contested Motherwell and Wishaw 2003 and 2007 Scottish elections.
.
I say, wouldn’t it be funny if the General Election was called for Bonfire night.
It would be quite fitting wouldn’t it. But that would require Brown to have some balls other than his Education Secretary
I don’t know John Smeaton, but I often wonder if he has inherited an unusual skill from his dad with whom I shared an office tea and biscuits fund.
With one continuous ballistic movement he could stuff a Jaffa Cake in his mouth, reach for the next one and stuff it in his mouth too so that in a few seconds half the packet would be gone.
Smeaton Jnr’s direct turn of phrase would certainly appeal to the weegie voters and those who wished to punish Labour without voting for the SNP.
Its going be a wasted vote ultimately -I cannot see anything other than Lab hold (sadly)
As I’ve said before Matt, I can see the SNP winning here with a tiny majority of 800.
Seeing as they polled 60% of the voting share in 2005, if Labour lose this ultra rock-solid seat then they’re right in the shi**er!!!