PRIVATE polling by the SNP puts them just four points behind Labour in Glasgow East, according to The Sunday Times.
Well, of course it does – it always does. Four points is the margin the SNP always invent on the last weekend of every by-election they’ve ever fought – still behind but just within striking distance. It’s a traditional part of Scottish by-elections. Somewhere in SNP headquarters there’s a news release template which reads “SNP four points behind Labour in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (insert name of constituency)”
It’s also a tradition that is traditionally ignored by the media, but The Times obviously doesn’t care much about its journalistic credibility these days.
I hope Labour will prevail on Thursday, and if we do, it will be a huge disappointment for most of the Scottish media, some of whom are genuinely sympathetic to separatism, but most of whom would simply regard a Labour victory as a bit dull.
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Sunday 20 July 2008 at 12:13 pm
Tom, you know darn well that the media want Labour to lose primarily for the effect it would have on GB. They are not interested in which party would be most beneficial to the constituents.
I must say your last papagraph displays a certain lack of confidence/faith you seem to have in your own party.
Labour will probably scrape in by a hair’s breath, so cheer up!
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 12:18 pm
Not lack of confidence/faith, James. Just don’t want to sound triumphalist/complacent/arrogant/Salmond.
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 12:49 pm
The people of Glasgow East have never received so much attention from politicians as they have done at this by-election.
I think the best thing would be for an SNP victory this time round. If people in Glasgow just do the whole “aye, I vote Labour ’cause my father voted Labour, and his father voted Labour” routine even in the fact of his unpopular government, it will tell the Labour Party that no matter how much they neglect the people of Glasgow East, no matter how much they ignore them, insult them, and take them for granted, the people there will always return a Labour MP. The other parties will realise they have no chance of changing their minds, so the constituency will once again be neglected by politicians from all parties.
However, if the good people of Glasgow East deliver a landslide for the SNP, it will create shockwaves around the country. It will force Labour to fight for the seat to win it back, and force the SNP to stick in with the people there. This means that for once people there will be listened to and heard.
John Mason is doubtless a creepy little man, but he’s the post hope for the people of Glasgow East, and for the whole country, at this stage.
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 1:02 pm
“I think the best thing would be for an SNP victory this time round.”
DMEA, don’t you work for the SNP group at Westminster?
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 1:15 pm
Hopefully the SNP will win on Thursday and it will be the start of getting rid of this useless government.
The SNP may not be perfect but they are interested in Scotland and cannot be worse than the 2nd raters currently running the UK, with a cabinet full of numbskulls whose only skills appear to be how to fill their own pockets. Pity they are not as good at policy as they are on expenses and second homes.
Would set things up nicely for the next election when Tories will rout labour. Best to start thinking about your next job.
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 1:16 pm
I love you too, Malcolm
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 4:09 pm
Why then are Labour in Glasgow East telling the press (as reported in various papers this morning) that their own polling matched that being reported from the SNP?
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 4:12 pm
Labour will loose Glasgow East.
Sunday 20 July 2008 at 9:23 pm
Just noticed this headline on the Times online: ‘Lunatics to take over the Westminster Asylum’
It reads: “Ministers are preparing to allow people labelled ‘idiots’ and ‘lunatics’ by archaic laws to stand for parliament”
Have we been misled Tom? Has this not been happening for years? (how else does one explain the LDs)
Monday 21 July 2008 at 3:35 pm
Despite several miles of unionist propaganda in the so called Scottish press and hours of pro unionist bilge on the English Broadcasting Company the SNP Government still manages to forge ahead, recently over taking labour in a Westminster poll.
How do you account for that Tom?