And another thing…

IT IS truly pathetic how the media and the SNP are so keen to cast doubt on the reliability of the Glenrothes by-election result.

The report of the Electoral Commission today concludes that the count “went smoothly despite many challenges faced by the electoral administrators”.

The basis of the nationalists’ concerns is simply that Labour won; therefore there have been some foul play.

I wonder what mischief they would make if it had been a Labour – and not an SNP – local authority in charge of the count?

LINDSAY Roy, the new MP for Glenrothes, was introduced to the House a short time ago, immediately following Prime Minister’s Questions.

Hard to say if he felt intimidated or not -the House isn’t usually that busy when new members are introduced. But he got an enthusiastic welcome from our lot, less so from the SNP for some reason.

In the run-up to polling last week I was contacted by a couple of journalists asking for a steer as to what result to expect. I told them what I thought: the SNP would take the seat, though not with the kind of majority they might have expected at the start of the campaign. In fact I was deliberately ignoring the positive response I had found on the doorstep; my pessimism was rooted entirely on the fact that we had lost Glasgow East even when we controlled the council and had retained the Scottish Parliament seat at the 2007 elections. In Glenrothes we had lost both to the nationalists.

So on polling night I deliberately avoided the results programme and went to bed early, unwilling to look at TV images of the smug faces of the nationalists at the count. It was Carolyn, next morning, who told me the result. I was stunned. Stunned and very, very happy.

So to any journalist who feels a bit peeved at my giving him misleading information, I apologise. It wasn’t spin – it was honest, common or garden west of Scotland pessimism.

NOT for the first time, I’m hat-tipping Scottish Unionist for his continuing campaign to expose the deranged raving of SNP supporters on newspaper (mainly The Herald and The Scotsman) threads. Check out these nuggets and remember: these are the people who feel empowered every time the SNP win any election.

NOW I’ve had the opportunity to consider last night’s result, here are a couple of points you may have missed:

Labour’s vote in Glenrothes was UP by three per cent over the general election result in 2005;

Both the Tories and the LibDems lost their deposits;

In other news, Labour won a council by-election seat in the Glasgow East constituency – in exactly the same ward where, in another council by-election just six weeks ago, the SNP won.

Lindsay Roy (left) will take his seat in the Commons on Monday 10 November – the 20th anniversary of polling in the infamous Govan by-election (not really relevant, but I’m a political anorak when it comes to that sort of thing).

And although it will infuriate some commenters on this blog, the following issues were not raised on the doorstep (and obviously didn’t have any negative effect on the result):

The smoking ban;

The absence of a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty;

The “erosion” of our civil liberties;

ID cards.

I don’t know if this is a “Garscadden moment”, but it certainly feels close to it. At the very least, I hope it signals an end to Alex Salmond’s extended political honeymoon.

Even if it doesn’t, yesterday was a very, very good day for Labour and for Scotland.

I ADMIT I never saw that coming.

I INTEND to resist the temptation to stay up until the result at Glenrothes is announced. One late night a week is more than enough for someone of my advanced years and on Wednesday morning I didn’t get to bed until McCain’s concession speech – about 5.00 am.

I genuinely have no idea who’s going to win at Glenrothes. It will be a significant result, either way. But I’ll hear all about it in the morning, no doubt.

It’s funny how, ever since I’ve been a member of the Labour Party – 24 years now – I’ve taken every by-election result to heart, as if each result is a personal reflection on me. Undoubtedly a sign of rampant egoism (or is it egotism?). But I guess it’s a common complain of anyone who is truly committed to their party. Politics is personal.

A FEMALE comrade who travelled a great distance to help Labour’s effort in the Glenrothes by-election was asked to chap at the door of a family by the name of Simpson.

The Christian names of the household members were also given to her. When the door was answered she duly asked to speak to Marge, Bart and Lisa, and was met with a blank stare. Fortunately, she realised she had been had before she asked to speak to “Homer”.

When she told me of the incident, I was reminded of a new recruit to Cathcart Labour Party back in the ’80s who, the very first time he went out canvassing, was deliberately sent to the door of one “Mrs Taylor”. When asked if she was a Labour supporter, the formidable elderly lady asked, in a tone of great indignation: “Do you know who I am?” Then, without waiting for a response from the flustered comrade, revealed: “I’m Teddy’s mother!”

“Teddy”, of course, was none other than Teddy Taylor, Cathcart’s Tory MP until 1979, when he unexpectedly lost to Labour, depriving the new prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, of her Scottish Secretary.

TIME once again to put your big psephological pants on and start offering your predictions for what might happen today in Glenrothes.

Given my record at predictions recently, I’m not going to offer my own opinion.

SORRY for the noticeable easing up in postings recently – I’m spending an inordinate amount of time driving between Glasgow and Glenrothes at the moment.

Last time I fought a November by-election, it was Kincardine & Deeside in 1991, and although I remember Stonehaven being cold… bloody hell, I don’t remember it being this cold.

Just as well I have my ex-Soviet Union patrolman’s bunnet with me. Not dignified but very cosy (pic to follow, maybe).

PICTURE UPDATE (as promised) at 7.45 pm:

Dignity was Tom's watchword during campaigns...

SPOTTED in a baker’s window this afternoon in Buckhaven, Fife. Classic.