Glasgow East Rumour no 2

Surely there's no truth in the rumour that Tommy Sheridan is planning to stand in the Glasgow East by election? Why would he do that? He knows he can't win. All he can do is take votes away from people who are currently thinking of voting SNP. And as the SNP is the only party with any hope of beating Labour, would he, the great convert to Independence for Scotland, not be better leaving the ego trip to another day? As I read the article in the Daily Record (online obviously) I was skimming it and saw this snippet:

"Labour insiders believe he could be the ideal candidate ..."!

For a second I thought they were referring to Sheridan. They weren't. But I bet you anything they're cock-a-hoop at the prospect.

There is no doubt in my mind that this by-election will be on 24 July. Labour are terrified of losing to the SNP so the sooner they have it, the harder it is for us to make the inroads required. That means it'll be a very close run thing and the more candidates there are, the more the votes are spread.

It will be a remarkable feat if the SNP runs Labour close - remarkable but forgettable. Victory is what we're aiming for and that's what people will remember when it comes to the Independence Referendum that Tommy's so keen to see - allegedly!

Glasgow East by-election shock!

And another scoop! I hear on the late night grapevine that David Marshall, the MP for Glasgow East is to stand down on Monday. First of all, if it's true that he is ill and particularly if stories that it's related to depression are true, then I'm sorry for him and his family and I hope he has a speedy recovery. And for that reason, I'll say no more (for the moment) except to say that, as you'd expect, the SNP will fight this by-election to win. As Convener of the Glasgow Regional Association, I can tell you our members are motivated, organised and judging by the number of emails and texts I've had in the last half hour asking me what's happening, they're ready to get out there and work.

On that note, I'm off to bed! Please, no more news ... !