*sigh*

Last night was pretty disappointing; there's no point in denying that.

Baillieston didn't manage to inspire Obama-esqe queues at polling stations. Turnout was only 20.9%. Full results are available on the Council website. I got the feeling that people just weren't that enthused at the idea of going out on a cold dreich night to vote. They got home from work, shut the curtains, settled down in front of the tv and stayed in for the night. Several people I spoke to were ill or looking after their kids, regretfully telling me they couldn't make it to the polls this time. Dark wintry nights are definately a factor, and I recall similar difficulties in a by-election in Renfrewshire a few years ago. It's far easier to encourage people out when it's sunny.

We put a lot of effort into Glenrothes, as you will have seen from my previous posts. Our vote increased, which is always encouraging. I got good, enthusiastic responses from voters. However, there were also places where the people were reticent, where doors went unanswered and clearly Labour managed to prevail.

I really object to references to 'defeat' - Labour had a 10,000 majority in this seat. That does not make them underdogs, it makes them front - runners. Glenrothes was simply a Labour hold, not a win.

Where our campaign was positive, theirs was crushingly negative. Scaremongering, and concentration on non-Westminster issues. People will be disappointed when Lindsay Roy fails to deliver on any of the issues he campaigned on - schools investment, anti social behaviour, and yes, even care charges. As an MP, these are right out of his remit.

I'm hoping to manage through the day without too many hefty sighs. This too will pass.

Campaigning goes on - whatever the weather!

The trip to Glenrothes today was a bit more hair-raising than usual due to the weather, and the high winds meant we were diverted from our usual route over the Forth Road Bridge. Huge plaudits must go to our drivers for the day, Grant and Ron, who got us there and back safely despite the storms.

Pictured are some of the hardy souls from Glasgow (along with Councillor Jim Finn, who just wanted to get in the picture!).

Throwing out traditions

It's nice to see that Gordon Brown will be making his own personal contribution in this time of flux by dispensing with old traditions which have lasted... oooh, since about 1999. Because, as we all know, Prime Ministers haven't campaigned in a by election since Uxbridge, Eddisbury, or Hamilton South.

It's up to each individual Prime Minister whether they want to campaign in a by election. There are quite a lot of by elections over the course of a Parliament (12 Westminster by elections since 2005), and I guess it's not feasible that they'd have time to come to them all. Most aren't even that close and the incumbent doesn't face much of a challenge. Perhaps a convention did grow up through this frequency - the BBC article on Uxbridge refers to a thirty year tradition of Prime Ministers not appearing at by elections, but internet links to back this up are a bit scarce previous to '97.

Things have changed dramatically in those thirty years. The reaction of the media to by elections can be incredible, and it's increasingly important for the parties to get a piece of the action. Why else would smaller parties bother with the expense of fielding candidates? I caught a wee bit of the 1964 General Election coverage on BBC Parliament the other day, and it's a world away from the media circus now surrounding elections.

The claim that Glenrothes is different has some merit. The Prime Minister's own constituency is next door; having lost Dunfermline and West Fife as recently as 2006, Mr Brown won't want to lose the constituency to his East. This is probably the most compelling reason for his appearance. Unlike Glasgow East, it is his back yard. Furthermore, it's a bit cruel but probably true that both the new Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament and Secretary of State for Scotland are still too anonymous to make any kind of impact on the good people of Fife.

While Glenrothes might be a campaign Gordon Brown can't shy away from, I wonder whether the suggestion in the Sunday Herald Editorial from during the Glasgow East campaign still stands, and what the implications will be this time around;

"He is being kept away from Glasgow, not because prime ministers don't do by-elections, but because this Prime Minister can't do elections.

It's on!

After all the flirting, it's nice to see that we finally have a date! Remember remember, the 6th of November...

Glenrothes again

Another Saturday, another trip to Glenrothes! This weekend, I had the massive responsibility of driving the minibus, and I had a blast. I've never driven anything bigger than a Renault Scenic (the car my dad had when I was learning to drive), so it was a wee bit daunting at first. My glamourous co-pilot/navigator Anne managed to keep her heid and mine, and I got us there and back without need for further by elections. I even got cheered as we got back to Glasgow!

I've been thinking about the comment left anonymously on my last post, saying most people do things "not related to work" at the weekend. I'm sure they do, but for me, there doesn't seem to be much of a boundary between "work" and SNP/YSI stuff. I think I need some kind of hobby, but I don't know if I'd have time for it!

Saturday fun

I meant to post this earlier (sorry Anne!) - this is Saturday's campaign team heading out to Glenrothes from Glasgow to join those who were spending the whole holiday weekend.

I get very confused when I have a Saturday off; what do other people do at the weekend?!