Gordon Brown dodges Glasgow East voters

Commenting on Gordon Brown's announcement at his news conference that he will not campaign in the Glasgow East by-election, SNP Westminster leader and party Business Convener Angus Robertson MP said that dodging the by-election was nothing to do with any convention - and everything to do with the Prime Minister's unpopularity. 

The Scottish sample for the Sunday Times YouGov poll showed that 59% of Scots think Mr Brown is doing badly as Prime Minister.

The poll sample figures for Scotland also show that the SNP is leading Labour by 38% to 33% in Westminster voting intentions. This follows a full YouGov Scottish poll for the Daily Telegraph which put the SNP ahead of Labour for the first time in a General Election poll.

Mr Robertson pointed out that Gordon Brown's excuse for avoiding the  Glasgow East by-election, because it was a convention that Prime Ministers didn't campaign in by-elections, was not supported by the fact that Tony Blair had campaigned in three by-elections.

Commenting Mr Robertson said:

"Once again Labour, and Gordon Brown in particular, are taking the voters for granted in Glasgow East and think they can pull the wool over their eyes.  Labour are out of touch - the SNP are on your side.

"The fact is that there is no convention for Prime Ministers to avoid by-elections. Tony Blair visited three – Uxbridge, Eddisbury and Hamilton South.  Mr Blair only stopped campaigning in by-elections because he became an electoral liability.  Mr Brown is already a liability - as shown by the fact that nearly 60% of Scots believe he is doing a bad job.

"And the same poll puts the SNP ahead of Labour for a Westminster election - another sign of the huge progress that we are making during this by-election campaign.

"Gordon Brown is not visiting Glasgow East because of the rising sense of anger against his Labour Government for raising fuel taxes and doing nothing to help at a time of spiralling living costs.  Labour are trying to hide the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer away - but they can't hide the pain their policies are inflicting on the people.

"The voters of Glasgow East know that the SNP are on their side and delivering the policies to help them in difficult times - such as a council tax freeze and abolishing prescription charges.

"If Gordon Brown fails to meet the voters of Glasgow East to hear their concerns first hand, then the people have the opportunity to send a powerful message by voting SNP on July 24th."

ENDS

1. At his monthly Downing Street press conference today Gordon Brown said: "I have made that clear - it's not the tradition of Prime Ministers to go to by-elections."

2. Tony Blair visited three by-elections during his time in office:

* Uxbridge by-election, 1997:

At the Uxbridge by-election Gordon Brown helped launch the campaign:

* Eddisbury by-election, 1999:

* Hamilton South by-election, 1999:

3. The YouGov / Sunday Times poll (a Fieldwork: 10th - 11th July 2008) showed 59% of the Scottish sample think Gordon Brown is doing badly as prime minister.

The party breakdown for Scotland was:

SNP: 38%
Lab: 33%
Con: 18%
Lib Dem: 12%

This follows the YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph on Friday which for the first time put the SNP ahead of Labour in voting intentions for a UK General Election.  The figures are (change from the 2005 election in brackets):

SNP: 33% (+15)
Lab: 29% (-11)
Con: 20% (+4)
Lib Dem: 14% (-9)

4. The Sunday Times reported that "Labour MPs told to invade Scotland ahead of Glasgow East by-election"

The report states:

"The visits will be strictly monitored, with backbenchers required to clock in when they reach Glasgow. MPs have been warned the trips are not a "jolly" and that they must be seen to be doing the "donkey work" of canvassing.

"Ministers who can show they have too much work on to make the 800-mile round trip from London will be required to contact voters by telephone.

"…"It's not as if we're starting from any sort of base. We're starting from absolutely nothing," said one Labour official…"