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The Glasgow victory is bad news for Labour
The Mole: Glaswegians were voting against the party in power: think about it, Gordon
Supporters of Gordon Brown who think the Labour victory in yesterday's Glasgow North East byelection is good news for their embattled leader are sadly mistaken.
Of course, Willie Bain's victory over the the SNP candidate David Kerr is better news than a defeat. But look at it this way:
Given the chance to have their say in a time of recession and rising unemployment, Glaswegians have gone against the party of government (the SNP, north of the border) and voted for the party in opposition (Labour, north of the border). And by the considerable margin of 8,111 votes.
If the party in government fares this badly in England when the general comes up next May/June - which is very possible unless there has been a significant turnaround in the economy before the spring - then Labour could do as miserably as the SNP did yesterday, and the Tories as comfortably as Labour did yesterday.
Willie Bain, Labour's successful candidate, was understandably jubilant at inheriting the late Speaker Michael Martin's seat. "Tonight," he said, "the people have had their say. They've backed Gordon Brown and his efforts to secure our economic recovery. They've said a resounding no to Alex Salmond and his treatment of our great city, but also a resounding no to David Cameron."
He's right about the message the voters sent to SNP leader Salmond. But wrong about Brown and Cameron.
The result might put off anyone planning a mid-winter putsch against Brown, in hopes of installing a new party leader before the election. But it does not signify a Labour resurgence across Britain. ·
